Republic built a 5-1 lead through three innings Thursday, then watched it vanish over the fourth and fifth innings as Nixa rallied for an 8-6 win at Republic.
Brennan Overstreet drove in two runs and scored twice for the Tigers, but Nixa center fielder Adam McKnight’s three-run homer in the fourth erased what had been a comfortable cushion.
Cooper Thomas started on the mound and was charged with the loss, giving up seven runs on seven hits over 4 2/3 innings. Gabe Benjamin pitched 2 1/3 innings in relief, allowing one run on one hit.
Nixa struck first in the first inning. Wyatt Francis singled, McKnight doubled him to third, and Wyatt Mabe grounded out to first to plate the run.
Republic answered with two in the second — both on passed balls. Landon Perkins drew a leadoff walk and Overstreet singled him to second. After Zayden Danielson reached on a fielder’s choice, Maddox West reached on a dropped third strike, allowing Overstreet to score from third. Danielson then came home on another passed ball to give Republic a 2-1 lead.
The Tigers extended the lead in the third. Thomas and Preston McCracken drew back-to-back walks. Overstreet drove both runners home with a double to right, making it 4-1. Danielson followed with a double of his own, and Overstreet scored on a throwing error by Nixa catcher Dirnberger to push the lead to 5-1.
In the fourth, Miller McCoy led off with a double and scored on James Dirnberger’s double to right. After Thomas hit Francis with a pitch, McKnight launched a three-run homer to center to tie the game at 5-5.
Nixa took the lead again in the fifth. Singles and hit batsmen loaded the bases, and a run scored on a wild pitch. Mabe then cleared the bases with a two-run double to center, stretching the lead to 8-5.
Republic got one back in the bottom of the fifth when McCracken walked, stole second, advanced to third on a passed ball, and scored on Danielson’s RBI single. Republic brought the tying run to the plate in the seventh but filed to score.
Overstreet led Republic at the plate, going 2-for-3 with a pair of doubles, two runs scored, and two RBIs. Danielson went 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI. McCracken reached base twice on walks, stole a base, and scored twice.
Republic falls to 4-6 on the season. The Tigers host Branson Friday at 1 p.m.
Linescore Nixa 1 0 0 4 3 0 0 — 8 8 2 Republic 0 2 3 0 1 0 0 — 6 5 1 Republic Hitting Brennan Overstreet 2-3, 2 2B, 2 R, 2 RBI Zayden Danielson 2-3, 2B, R, RBI Cooper Thomas 1-3, R, BB Preston McCracken 0-2, 2 R, 2 BB, SB Landon Perkins 0-2, 2 BB Nolan Lashley 0-4 Maddox West 0-3 Fisher Moore 0-3 Chase Connell 0-3 Republic Pitching Cooper Thomas (L) 4.2 IP, 7 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 3 BB, 5 K Gabe Benjamin 2.1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 0 K
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