Opening round of Bantam Tourney has close games and blow-outs

The Mineral Area Baseball Association’s Bantam League began the first round of their tournament on Monday with teams playing in various locations. The second round will be played tonight.

Raiders 10 Oilers 9

CALEDONIA — Dakota Huff had one of those only-in-the-movies type of moments Monday night for the Desloge Raiders. Huff came to the plate in the bottom of the last inning with two outs and the bases loaded and his team trailing by three runs. Working the count to 3-2, Huff then crushed the ball for a game-wining grand slam.

The Raiders trailed 9-2 at one time in the game but came back to take a 10-9 win over the Valley Oilers. Anthony Breakfield took the mound in relief to shut the door on the Oilers scoring. Nick Harris hit a home run for the Oilers, and Clayton Akers and Jake Jackson each had a double.

The Raiders will play the Farmington Outlaws tonight at 7 p.m. at Brightwell Park in Desloge for a second-round game.

Bombers 8, Gators 7

FREDERICKTOWN — Reliever Austin Tousand took the mound in the third inning and pitched three innings of nearly flawless ball as the Bonne Terre Bombers edged out the Park Hills Gators 8-7 also with some last inning heroics. The Bombers trailed 7-1 after the second inning, but Tousand struck out nine batters in the last three innings.

Austin Harper drove in two runs with a double in the bottom of the fifth to give the Bombers the right to advance into the second round of the tournament. T.J. Eaton had a big night at the plate with a single, double, triple performance. Adam McGraw hit a double and Dan Davis and Harper had one single each.

Brandon Richardson and Brett Taylor had one triple each for the Gators. Bret Chapman and Jason Asher hit two singles each, and Koby Wright, Austin Beavers and Kolby Buckley had one single each.

Mustangs 6, Wolves 5

CALEDONIA — The Farmington Mustangs also won a come-from-behind first round victory with a 6-5 win over the Park Hills Wolves. The Mustangs nearly saw their second-round chances disappear when the Wolves scored five runs in the top of the fifth inning to take a two run lead. It would have been more, but Brandt Busenbark took the mound and recorded the last two outs of the inning.

The Mustangs scored three runs in the bottom of the fifth with Jake Wilson hitting one of his two singles to drive in two runs to tie the game at five runs apiece. Jake Bone hit a swinging bunt to drive in the game-winner. Busenbark and Tyler Sullivan also had singles for the Mustangs. Andres Castro had struck out nine batters and was cruising until the Wolves explosion in the fifth.

Scott Richardson hit a two-run double in the top of the fifth, and Chris Welle had a single and a double in the game for the Wolves.

Rockets 17, Clippers 2

Pierce Daniels struck out nine batters on the way to a 17-2 win for the Park Hills Rockets over the Arcadia Valley Clippers in a first round game of the Bantam League Tournament.

Daniels was 4-4 with the bat, and Clayton LaBruyere hit a three run homer in fourth inning and also had a single for four RBI. Brayden Manion hit two singles and a triple, Colin Bess had two singles and a double, Brandon Wagner hit two singles, and Justin Halter, Jake Bridges and Drew Harlow hit one single each.

Collin Tedford hit a single and Austin Day hit a two-run homer in the third inning for the Clippers.

Titans 15, Bandits 0

FREDERICKTOWN — The Leadwood Titans scored 13 runs in the fourth inning to finish out a 15-0 win over the Fredericktown Bandits in Monday’s first round game. John Lashley struck out seven batters on the way to a four-hitter.

Steven Barlow hit a grand slam and drove in five runs total for the Titans. Jonathan Hovick was 2-3, and Devin Culkin was 2-2 with a triple. Clayton Brinkley and Blake Barlow had one single each. Hitters for the Bandits were Matthew Williams, Luke Korokis and Drake Spangler all with singles.

The Titans will play the Farmington Redbirds at Park Hills tonight at 6 p.m.

Redbirds 18, Stars 0

BISMARCK — The Farmington Redbirds continued their win streak to 18 with a 18-0 win over the Bismarck Stars on Monday. Trent Wideman, Blake Worley and Alex Palmer combined for a no-hitter and striking out eight batters.

Worley hit a triple and had four RBI for the Redbirds. Jordan Ankrom hit a double and a single, and Nathan Gonz, Tristan Hastings and Jake Andrews all had one single each. The Redbirds scored all 18 runs in the first two innings.