Wildcat week ends in disappointment

 

By Coach Harv Antle

LICKING 15, CROCKER 0

LICKING, Mo. – The Licking Wildcats shut out the Crocker Lions 15-0 on Monday night at Deer Lick Park.

“That was a good bounce back win tonight,” commented Licking Head Coach Harv Antle. The victory came on the heels of Saturday’s conference tournament loss to Iberia.

“The offense was productive up and down the lineup tonight and we played much cleaner defensively,” Antle said. Licking produced its 15 runs on 15 hits.

Kellar Davis, Keyton Cook, Rusty Buckner, Silas Antle, Kannon Buckner and Logan Gorman all recorded multi-hit games for the Wildcats. Kale Cook chipped in an RBI double, and Austin Stephens also drove in a run.

Rusty Buckner drove in three runs on the strength of a bases-loaded triple. Kannon Buckner scored twice and registered three runs-batted-in with his two singles, and Garrett Gorman scored three times and was 1-for-1.

Stephens went the distance on the mound for Licking to get the win. In four innings, the senior allowed two hits, scattered four walks and struck out four as Licking improved to 8-1 with the victory.

In the JV game, Licking emerged with a 17-4 win. Isaac Rinne was the winning pitcher with four innings of work, in which he allowed four runs on six hits and four walks.

Rinne reached base five times and scored four runs for the winners. Nate Gambill and Conway Adey scored three runs and Adey had a pair of RBIs while Cole McCloy went 2-for-3.

IBERIA 4, LICKING 1

IBERIA, Mo. – For the second time in less than a week, the Iberia Rangers toppled the Licking Wildcats on Thursday night in Iberia.

The Rangers defeated the Wildcats 4-1 in a game that didn’t showcase much offense. Iberia was efficient, scoring its runs on just four hits.

Licking mustered only three hits, and the Wildcats’ lone run came on a solo home run from Keyton Cook in the third inning. Cook took the loss on the mound for Licking.

In three innings, Cook gave three runs on two hits, struck out five, and walked six. Karson Walker relieved with three innings in which he allowed one run on two hits.

Rusty Buckner doubled and drew a pair of walks to go 1-for-2 for the Wildcats. Kellar Davis went 1-for-3.

Iberia won the JV game 3-2. The JV ‘Cats trailed 3-0 in the top of the fifth. They rallied with two runs and had the bases loaded with two outs but failed to score the tying or go ahead runs.

The loss was the first of the fall for Licking. Nate Gambill took the loss in relief of starter Jordan Ritz for the JV ‘Cats.

Gambill and Cole McCloy had the only hits in the contest for Licking. Benton Corley and Gavin Buckner recorded the lone RBIs.

SEYMOUR 2, LICKING 1

SEYMOUR, Mo. – The Seymour Tigers slipped past the Licking Wildcats 2-1 on Friday night in Seymour.

Seymour scored one run in the first and another in the second to take an early lead. Licking was unable to get any offense going until the seventh.

In the top of the seventh, the Wildcats staged a 2-out rally. Kannon Buckner drew a walk and moved to third on an Austin Stephens single.

Buckner scored on a wild pitch to cut the deficit in half. Logan Gorman and Kellar Davis followed with walks to load the bases to force a pitching change.

Keyton Cook belted a deep fly to center that was caught to end the game and short circuit the Licking rally.

Rusty Buckner suffered the loss on the mound for Licking. In five and two-thirds innings, the senior allowed two runs on four hits and struck out nine.

Licking did salvage a split on Friday with a 4-0 JV victory.

Conway Adey and Cole McCloy teamed up on the mound to no-hit Seymour. Adey started and pitched through the fourth inning, racking up eight strikeouts.

McCloy struck out the side in the fifth to close the game out. The win raised the JV record to 4-1 on the season.

Isaac Rinne singled and scored three runs for the winners. McCloy doubled and singled to go 2-for-3, Robbie James was 1-for-2, and Benton Corley scored a run for Licking.

GREENVILLE 4, LICKING 3

GREENVILLE 13, LICKING 8

LICKING, Mo. – The Licking Wildcats hosted the Greenville Bears on Saturday at Deer Lick Park and dropped both games of a varsity doubleheader.

In the first game, Licking led 3-1 after five innings, but Greenville scored three times in the top of the sixth to win 4-3.

Silas Antle started on the mound for Licking and received a no decision. The senior allowed one run on three hits in five innings while fanning four and walking four.

Karson Walker took the loss with one inning of relief in which he surrendered three runs on three hits and two walks. Austin Stephens pitched the seventh to finish the game.

Licking was plagued with runners left on base throughout the game. The Wildcats stranded 12 runners in the game.

Kale Cook and Garrett Gorman paced the offense with two hits each. Keyton Cook doubled and scored while Logan Gorman drove in a run.

In game two, Greenville raced to a 10-3 advantage over the first three innings. Licking tried to rally but ultimately fell 13-8.

Kale Cook took the loss for Licking. He was charged with 10 runs on five hits and five walks in two and two-thirds innings of work.

Jordan Ritz supplied three and two thirds innings of relief in which he gave three runs, two earned, on five hits and four walks. Austin Stephens mopped up with a scoreless seventh.

Keyton Cook homered, drove in two runs, and finished the game 3-for-4 to show the way offensively for Licking. Karson Walker enjoyed a 3-for-4 performance at the plate, Kale Cook homered and knocked in two runs, and Garrett Gorman recorded two hits and an RBI.

The Wildcats fell to 8-5 with the losses. This week Licking is scheduled to host Van Buren on Tuesday and travel to West County (Park Hills) on Friday.