Wildcats defeat Fort Scott in tournament

By Andy Brown
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Updated: April 12, 2016

Louisburg senior Matt Risenhoover tags out a Fort Scott runner trying to steal Saturday during Fort Scott Round Robin Tournament at the LaRoche Baseball Complex. The Wildcats defeated Fort Scott 13-2 and fell to Ottawa 10-4.

FORT SCOTT – The last time the Louisburg baseball team visited Fort Scott they were a part of all the festivities that opened the LaRoche Baseball Complex and the Wildcats were also on the bad end of two run-rule losses.

On Saturday, the Wildcats were the ones doing the run-ruling.

In the first game of the Fort Scott Round Robin Tournament, Louisburg scored five runs in the fifth and sixth innings to pick up a 13-2 victory over Fort Scott. The Wildcats would go on to fall to Ottawa 10-4 in the second game, but they left Fort Scott with a much better taste in their mouth this time around.

Just two days earlier, the Wildcats also notched two wins over Prairie View to get their first victories of the season. Louisburg has now won three of its last four games.

“I was glad that we got the split, but would have liked to have come away with two wins,” Louisburg coach Joel McGhee said. “We were very focused against Fort Scott, which carried over from our play against Prairie View on Thursday. We showed a lot of hustle and made heads up plays. We had high quality at bats, good pitching and the defense was on their toes.”

Senior Colton Smith provided Louisburg with a strong start against Fort Scott. Smith pitched a complete game, allowed no earned runs and struck out five.

Senior Colton Smith pitched a complete game for the Wildcats against Fort Scott and had five strikeouts.

The Tigers scored two runs in third inning to take a 2-1 lead at the time, but Smith, who gave up just three hits as well, stymied the Fort Scott batters.

“Colton had a great outing,” McGhee said. “He filled the zone and was able to get the leadoff man out in each inning, it established a great tone and kept the defense locked in. Colton has the ability to strike guys out and to get ground and fly balls, which he did both.”

As good as Smith was, fellow senior Austin Henderson was just as good at the plate. Henderson finished the day with a 4-for-5 performance with a double and 4 RBIs.

Henderson was one of the many bright spots offensively for the Wildcats. Seniors Cole Kramer, Matt Risenhoover and junior Blake Ruder each finished with three hits each and Kramer added two RBIs and Risenhoover added one.

Smith, sophomore Dalton Stone and senior Cale Schneider also recorded two hits. Stone finished with 2 RBIs, while Schneider and Alex Dunn had an RBI each.

“Henderson was very focused at the plate and was making solid contact,” McGhee said. “He did a great job moving guys around the base path when he had the opportunities against Ft. Scott. He had a lot of quality at bats.”

First baseman Austin Henderson looks in a throw as he prepares to tag out an Ottawa runner Saturday in Fort Scott.

The Wildcats (3-3) had to dig themselves out of a big hole against Ottawa in the tournament’s second game. Ottawa scored four runs in the first inning and Louisburg nearly overcame the big inning.

Louisburg scored a run in the first and two more in the second as Stone and Schneider hit back-to-back RBI singles.

However, Ottawa scored a run in the fifth and five more in the sixth to break the game open and the Wildcats couldn’t mount another comeback.

Stone, Schneider and Dunn each finished the game with two hits, while Henderson added 2 RBIs, including a solo home run in the sixth inning. Ruder also had a triple to open the game.

Louisburg will try and get a pair of league wins today when it travels to Eudora for a doubleheader. First pitch is set for 4:30 p.m.

Louisburg sweeps Prairie View

The weather may have been cold and windy, but that didn’t seem to bother the Louisburg bats Thursday at Prairie View High School.

Louisburg plated 24 runs in a pair of victories against the Buffalos to get their first wins of the season. The Wildcats won the first game 14-6 and finished strong with a 10-3 victory.

“It was good to get the first two wins,” McGhee said. “It is tough starting with Paola, but the guys came out against Prairie View and set the tone early. We were picked up by several multiple base hits and showed great hustle on the base path early on, which is infectious. We were making solid contact and getting hits to drop despite the high winds.”

In the opener, Louisburg pounded out 19 hits to go along with its 14 runs. The Wildcats scored five runs in the fifth inning and another six runs in the sixth inning to break the game open.

Senior Matt Risenhoover had a big day with the bat with a single, double and had 6 RBIs. Senior Cole Kramer and juniors Grant Harding and Korbin Hankinson each added three hits a piece. Harding finished the day with two triples and a double.

Seniors Austin Henderson, Colton Smith and Alex Dunn each had a pair of hits. Henderson and Dunn had 2 RBIs each.

Junior Sam Guetterman got the start for Louisburg and picked up the win with four innings of work. Guetterman allowed just one earned run and had three strikeouts.

Kramer and junior Kylan Harper worked the final three innings to preserve the win.

The nightcap was a little different story as Louisburg found itself down 2-0 going into the second inning, but the Wildcats responded with five runs in the second, one in the fifth and four more in the seventh to secure the win.

Harding pitched a complete game for Louisburg as he went seven innings, gave up three earned runs and had 10 strikeouts.

Kramer led the way offensively as he finished with two hits, both triples, and had 3 RBIs. Harding also added three hits and an RBI.