Zayden Danielson spent the first weeks of the season watching from the bench, nursing an arm injury and waiting for a chance to play. He got it Tuesday at Ozark — his former school — and made it count.
Danielson’s two-run single in the sixth inning put Republic on top for the first time and ignited a seven-run rally that turned a 1-0 deficit into a runaway. Republic beat Ozark 8-1 in a cross-division Central Ozark Conference game.
“I knew that this was my first game back. I used to go to this school,” Danielson said. “I was like, ‘This is for me. They set me up for this,’ so I was just ready to hit the ball.”
Brennan Overstreet pitched a complete game for the Tigers, scattering three hits and striking out eight. The only run he allowed came in the fourth inning, when Ozark strung together a double, a bunt single, and a bunt out to push across a run. Overstreet retired 10 of the last 11 batters he faced.
“I had a good defense behind me. My off-speed was working well,” he said. “I was commanding my fastball good. I was just getting ahead.”
Republic’s offense was quiet for five innings against Ozark starter Caden O’Donnell, who struck out the side in the fifth. But Republic blew things open in the sixth.
Cooper Thomas drew a leadoff walk. Preston McCracken singled to center, and Landon Perkins was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Overstreet struck out looking for the first out, bringing Danielson to the plate.
Danielson lined a curveball to center field, scoring Thomas and McCracken to give Republic its first lead at 2-1.
The floodgates opened from there. Danielson stole second, and Perkins stole home on the same play to make it 3-1. Maddox West reached on an error, with Danielson scoring on the play for a 4-1 lead. Fisher Moore bunted and reached on another error, csoring West. Nolan Lashley singled to left to drive in Moore, and Thomas capped the inning with an RBI single that scored Lashley, who had stolen second. Seven runs, four hits, three Ozark errors, and a hit batsman later, Republic led 7-1.
“It felt awesome, because that gave us some insurance,” Overstreet said of seeing the seven spot go up. “I felt comfortable going out there and pitching and finishing it.”
Overstreet finished on 99 pitches. He walked four but never let Ozark’s lineup string hits together — the Tigers turned a line-drive double play in the second inning, and Overstreet struck out the side in order in the sixth. After walking a hitter in the seventh inning as his pitch limit loomed, Overstreet got an encouraging message from coach Curt Plotner.
“When Coach came out there… he was like, ‘I want you to finish this,'” Overstreet said. “I was like, ‘Yes, sir, I want to finish it, too.'”
He did, coaxing a ground ball forceout from Cooper Wood to end the game.
Danielson added a sacrifice fly in the seventh for his third RBI of the night. He finished 2-for-3 with three RBIs and a run scored.
Thomas led Republic with a 3-for-3 night, adding a walk and an RBI. McCracken went 2-for-4 with a run scored. Lashley finished 1-for-4 with an RBI and a run.
Linescore Republic 0 0 0 0 0 7 1 — 8 9 0 Ozark 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 — 1 3 3 Republic Hitting Nolan Lashley 1-4, RBI, R Cooper Thomas 3-3, RBI, R, BB Preston McCracken 2-4, R Landon Perkins 0-2, 2 R, BB, HBP Brennan Overstreet 1-4 Zayden Danielson 2-3, 3 RBI, R, SF Maddox West 1-4, R Fisher Moore 1-3, R Chase Connell 0-3 Republic Pitching Brennan Overstreet (W) — 7 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 4 BB, 8 SO
Get every story delivered.
Tiger Wire — Republic sports news, free every morning.