Bulldogs roll over Camels in first semi-round action

SENATH, Mo. - The Portageville Bulldogs left no doubt on Friday why they are the No. 1 seed in the 2024 MSHSAA Class 2 District 1 Tournament after blanking Campbell 15-0 in 4-2/3 innings.

The players rolled off the bus at Senath Friday morning with bats on their shoulders and with destruction on their minds.

After the Bulldogs' Bo Warren mowed down the first three Campbell hitters with a strikeout of Carson Weidenbenner came a line single to center by Sam Bunting (remember the quote was "mowed down the first three hitters").

The starting and losing pitcher Sam Bunting #10 for Campbell.Photo by Tim Caldwell.

Despite that single to the No. 2 hitter, it was the same as 1,2,3 when Warren coaxed the next hitter, Jared Jennings, to ground into a 6-4-3 smooth double play to end the inning.

The destruction began in the bottom of the first inning with a leadoff walk to Aaron Dunlap. Ten hitters later in the same inning, Portageville had scored six runs on only two hits, with four more costly walks to go with three wild pitches that basically sank the Camels after the first inning.

Bunting failed to make it to the third inning and was relieved on the mound by Weidenbenner. Bunting allowed nine runs (eight earned) with 11 baserunners (five hits and six walks) and faced a whopping 18 batters in two innings.

The reliever Carson Weidenbrenner #21 for Campbell. Photo by Tim Caldwell.

Weidenbennner's third inning chores began with a walk to leadoff batter Jayquan Bogan, and the third inning was almost a repeat performance of the previous.

Ten men went to the plate in the third inning for the Bulldogs, scoring five runs on two hits, two infield errors, two wild pitches and a hit batsman to total 12 runs on only five hits and eight baserunners. Weidenbenner went 2-1/3 innings, because of the 15-run rule.

Despite the game ending after 4-2/3 innings, he still faced 16 batters in that span, allowing the final six runs (all unearned) with one walk and two strikeouts.

Kennen Siebert #3 waits to hit for Campbell. Photo by Tim Caldwell

On the Bulldog side, Warren and Xayvion Bogin combined for four innings of shutout ball against Campbell on only three hits and seven strikeouts.

Campbells best scoring chance in the game came in the second inning with bases loaded and one out. Warren snuffed out the rally by striking out Carson Belcher and coaxing Logan Townsend to pop out to first to end the inning.

Portageville ( 27-7) was scheduled to play the winner of the second semifinal game later that evening that pit the Senath-Hornersville Lions (11-7) against the defending District Champion Bernie Mules (17-8) at 1 p.m.