Semoball

Doniphan knocks off top-seeded Clearwater with late rally

Doniphan first baseman Dalton Pennington reaches to catch a fly ball after it bounced off right fielder Curtis Keeney during the first inning Tuesday at Raider Field. (Brian Rosener/DAR)

By BRAD HURT ~ DAR Sports Writer

Doniphan rallied in the top of the seventh inning and held off Clearwater to advance to the Ozark Foothills Conference championship game with a 5-4 win Tuesday afternoon at Raider Field.

"It's a big win," Dons head coach John Mark Merriman said, "but we have to get ready for tomorrow."

On one strange play, the Tigers lost one of their top hitters in the first inning of the semifinal.

Clearwater center fielder Jake Hime, who had been hit in the back of the helmet earlier in the inning, was ejected after knocking down a Doniphan player at the end of a long rundown between second and third base.

"What that took from our team was that his spot came up twice in the order with runners in scoring position, and he may have closed the game out for us in the seventh," Tigers coach Justin Dobbins said.

The Tigers had runners on first and second in the third inning when Hime's replacement, Ronnie Ray, was hit by a pitch to load the bases. A sacrifice fly by Daniel Smith drove in one but Ezell grounded out to strand a pair. Hime's spot came up again in the fifth and seventh innings with runners on base.

"Jake Hime is a heck of a player, and I still don't understand what happened there," Merriman said of the play.

With Hime unavailable for the remainder of the game, the Tigers struggled but took a 4-3 lead into the final inning.

After failing to get anything against Clearwater pitcher Logan Morris in the sixth inning, going down in order, the Dons put their leadoff hitter, Curtis Keeney, on base in the seventh with a single.

Following a fielder's choice play, Keeney scored from second on a double by catcher Travis Moe. After advancing to third on a wild pitch, Moe scored the goahead run on a passed ball.

"It's always nice to take the top seed out," Merriman said. "They're always going to be tough."

The Tigers stranded six runners on base, including three in the final inning, when a single and two walks loaded the bases. Keeney struck out the final two batters upon relieving Johnson, who left with one out in the seventh with a calf injury.

"Give Clearwater credit," Merriman said. "They beat us twice during the season and didn't lie down today even with the altercations that went on earlier."

The Tigers took an early lead as the Dons struggled at the plate, lacking a base hit until a two-out single by Daniel Newman in the second.

Morris went the distance on the mound for the Tigers, striking out two and walking two. He allowed five runs, four of which were earned, on seven hits.

The Tigers found the first couple of innings difficult as well before Jordan Devenport led off the bottom of the third inning with a double and scored on a single by Kendall Fay.

After a Kyle Randolph single and Ray was hit, Fay scored on a sacrifice fly by Daniel Smith to give the Tigers a 2-0 lead.

The lead did not last long, however, as the Dons came out swinging in the top of the fourth.

Dalton Pennington reached on a two-out bunt single and was replaced by pinchrunner Ethan King. Jordan Casteel followed with a single before Daniel Newman reached on an error to load the bases. Keeney then cleared the bases with a double to left-center to put the Dons on top 3-2.

Doniphan led until the fifth when Smith came through for the Tigers, driving in a pair of runs with a clutch two-out single before getting thrown out trying to stretch it into a double.

Keeney led the Dons with a 2-for-3 performance while Johnson, Pennington, Casteel, Newman and Moe picked up one hit each.

for the Dons, earning a no-decision. He allowed four runs on six hits and hit a pair of batters in four-plus innings of work.

Fay led the Tiger offense, getting hits in three of his four at-bats, scoring two runs and driving in another. Randolph, Daniel Smith, Brandon Smith, Devenport and Morris each added a hit.

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