Scott City Sweeps TMP in Season Opener

Hays, Kan. (westernkansasnews.com)–With limited practices due to their basketball run in the state tournament and spring break, the Scott City Beavers headed to Hays Tuesday to face the baseball tradition-rich TMP Monarchs. Scott City relied on defense to pull out a pair of 3-2 wins on a cold afternoon and evening of baseball at Larks Park. The game time was pushed to 4:30 due to practice for Ft. Hays State’s baseball team and the location was changed due to a muddy field at TMP Field.

Game one was scoreless through the first two innings. Scott City would get on the board first in the top of the third inning. Austin Habiger would drive in the first run of the game on a sacrifice fly, scoring Collin Ratzlaff from third base. The Beavers added one more run on a single by Drew Kite, scoring Brett O’Neil. TMP would answer back in the bottom of the third inning, on a two-out error by Scott City, as Cameron Brin scored to make it 2-1 Scott City. The game would remain 2-1 through the sixth inning. Needing an insurance run, the Beavers tacked on one more in the seventh that proved to be the difference. A two-out single by Habiger scored Juanito Rodriguez from third to make it 3-1. The Monarchs would come back. With runners on first and second, TMP-Marian got a base hit from Ryan Shippers down the left field line, that scored Brin from second to make it 3-2. The Monarchs held the tying run at third. Schippers tried to stretch a single into a double and was thrown out at second base by Tyler Hess to end the game. Drew Kite (1-0) got the win for Scott City, going all seven innings, giving up two runs, one earned on four hits, with four strike outs and two walks. Shane Zimmerman took the loss for TMP (0-1) as he allowed two runs on two hits in five innings of work, while striking out seven. Austin Habiger had two of Scott City’s four hits, and two runs batted in.

The night finale saw the Beavers score all three of their runs in the first two innings, and hold on to win. Scott City scored on a sacrifice fly in the first, as Drew Kite scored Brett O’Neil from third base. TMP would tie the game in the bottom of the first inning on a Jordan Gottschalk single, that scored Shane Zimmerman. In the second, the Beavers would retake the lead and never surrender it the rest of the way. Monarch pitcher Cameron Brin gave up four walks in the inning, resulting in two walk-rbi by Collin Ratzlaff and Austin Habiger. The game would remain at 3-1 until the bottom of the fourth inning, when Zimmerman single scored Liam Stults to make it 3-2 Scott City. TMP-Marian had chances to take the lead or tie the rest of the way, but the Beaver defense would be clutch in tough situations, and the result would be a doubleheader sweep. Both teams in game two would play error-free baseball. The Monarchs outhit Scott City 5-3, but left 11 runners on base, compared to the Beavers’ five. Tyler Hess (1-0) got the win for Scott City, giving up two runs on five hits in 5 2/3 innings. He also struck out four and walked eight. Brett O’Neil recorded a four-out save. O’Neil turned a big 6-3 double play in the bottom of the sixth inning and then forced a groundout in relief with runners on second and third. Brin (0-1) took the loss for the Monarchs, going five innings, surrendering three runs on three hits and struck out three, while walking five Beavers. Scott City got one hit each from Kite, Sloan Baker and Ratzlaff.

Next up for Scott City (2-0) will be a home opener on Tuesday, April 2 against the Lakin Broncs. Thursday game at Goodland has been postponed, with no make up date scheduled. TMP-Marian (0-2) will travel to Garden City next Tuesday.