By Danny Clinton

On a very cold morning (April 12) in the Ozarks, the Ozark High School Tigers scored nine runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to defeat host Parkview 16-9 at the annual Red & Blue Baseball Tournament in Springfield.

 Just prior to game time, sleet fell for about five minutes, covering the ground momentarily, hinting at things to come.  Both starting pitchers struggled on the mound to start the game.

Parkview scored twice in the top of the first.

Ozark answered with three runs of their own  in the Tigers first at bat.  Brett Niell led off the bottom of the first with a walk.  Brett Neill stole second and third base.  With one out, Derek Harwell singled in to left to drive in Brett Neill with the Tigers first run.  John Neill walked and Ethan Mather was hit by a pitch. Corey Wiley grounded out to the right side to get an RBI.  Then Matt Jackson, courtesy runner for John Neill, scored on a passed ball.

Parkview then came back with four more runs in the top of the second to take the 6-3 lead. 

Ozark failed to score in the second even though Matt Jordan led off with a single, Derek Harwell was hit by a pitch, and John Neill walked. The Tigers left the bases loaded.

Brett Kesterson came in to pitch in the top of the third, and after giving up a lead-off single, settled down to retire the next three batters. 

In the bottom of the third, Ozark came back to tie the game at 6-6.  Corey Wiley led off the inning with a home run to left center.  With one out, Tom Wagaman walked and stole second base.  Matt Jordan followed with an RBI single.  After Jordan stole second with two outs, Chris Loveday singled to plate Jordan.

Kesterson struggle to start the fourth.  After walking the first batter, he got an out when catcher John Neil caught Davis of Parkview trying to steal second.  Kesterson gave up another walk, and that batter stole second and scored on a double.  Again, Kesterson settled dow,n striking out the next two. 

Ozark again came back in the bottom of the fourth to tie it up.  Ethan Mather got to first on a walk with one out.  He moved to second on a base hit by Corey Wiley.  Wiley was then forced out at second on a fielder’s choice by Reese Elliott.  Elliot was the caught in a run down between first and second during which time Mather scampered home to tie up the game.  Elliot made it safely to second but was stranded there as the inning ended.

Kesterson took care of business in the top of the fifth, striking out the side. 

Ozark also failed to score in the fifth. 

After striking out his sixth straight batter in the top of the sixth Kesterson struggled slightly giving up a walk then a base hit.  The second out came on a fielders choice and with runners on first and third Kesterson got a pop-up to center field to end the inning.

In the bottom of the sixth Ozark sent 12 batters to the plate to end the game on the “run-rule” of eight runs after five innings.  John Neill led off with a single,.  He was followed by Ethan Mather, who walked, and Corey Wiley, who singled to load the bases.  Matt Jackson pinch-hit and drove the ball down the right field line for a two-RBI single.  Then after an infield fly out, Jordan walked again to load the bases for the Tigers.  Brett Neill then singled to drive in Ozark’s third run of the inning.

Chris Loveday then hit a grand-slam home run to clear the bases and give Ozark a 7-14 lead. 

W,ith two outs John Neill reached on an error and was followed by a single by Mather.  Wiley then ended the game with a two-run single.

Ozark finished with nine stolen bases in nine attempts.  Brett Kesterson picked up the win ending with seven strike outs in 4 innings.  This put Ozark in the championship game later in the day at Hillcrest.