The Russellville Indians closed out a stellar regular season Thursday night with a home victory against the South Callaway Bulldogs.
The game was a makeup game after the original meeting set for May 4 was postponed due to rain in the second inning. Russellville didn't bring their best game Thursday, head coach Lucas Branson said. They were tested by South Callaway, but they persevered and overcame a few mistakes to defeat the Bulldogs 8-5 and finish the regular season with a 23-4 record, setting a school single-season record with 23 wins.
Russellville ran into trouble early when South Callaway loaded the bases with no outs, but the Indians managed to escape the inning with a strikeout, a cut-off throw at home plate, and a ground out to first and keep the Bulldogs off the board. The roles reversed in the bottom of the first when the Indians loaded the bases with no outs. But unlike South Callaway, Russellville was able to take advantage and put runs on the board. The Indians score one on a single, one on an error, and two more on a double by Bryce Bryant to take an early 4-0 lead.
Russellville senior pitcher Logan Cinotto got the start, but South Callaway found a way to string together three consecutive hits and two runs in the top of the third. With the score now 4-2 in the bottom of the fourth, the Indians added two more runs on of an RBI double from junior Jake Schulte and brought their lead back to four runs at 6-2.
Schulte wasn't just getting the job done for Russellville with his bat but with his glove. Schulte took over for Cinotto as pitcher in the fourth inning and held the Bulldogs scoreless in the fourth and fifth innings. After adding another run in the bottom of the fifth, Russellville had a 7-2 lead and appeared to have regained control of the game.
But South Callaway refused to go away. The Bulldogs kept finding ways to put runners on base and cut the deficit to 7-4. Branson had to make another pitching change and to insert Jesse Daniel for Schulte. But not even Daniel could bring a stop of the Bulldogs counter attack. Daniel allowed a fifth run and although Russellville still held a two-run lead, they were once again back on their heels.
In the bottom of the sixth, Isaiah Kauffman and Schulte started the inning with back-to-back hits off Bulldogs pitcher JT Thomas. Cinotto was up next and had two teammates in scoring position on second and third base. Cinotto took a 2-2 pitch to deep right field for a hit, but a baserunning error cost the Indians dearly. Branson waved both on-base runners too soon and Cinotto ran past first base and was cut off for one out. By the time Kauffman realized what had happened, he was too late retreating back to third and was also tagged out for a surprising double play. South Callaway pulled a Houdini with a 9-3-5 double play.
Many teams might have cracked down after having a play like that go against them, but Russellville found a way to put that behind them and come back when Chris Seaver hit a ground ball to third that the third baseman was unable to handle and Schulte scored from third base to make it an 8-5 game.
The Indians took that three-run lead into the top of the seventh inning and Daniel returned to the mount and snuffed out any hope South Callaway had left by retiring the side on 10 pitches and the Indians finished out the regular season with an 8-5 win over the Bulldogs and a new school record of 23 regular season wins.
The Indians finished the regular season with a seven-game winning streak and as the No. 1 team in Class 2 according to the Missouri Baseball Coaches Association.
Branson has admired the approach his team has taken into each game during the regular season about living in the now. Maintaining the same focus and approach to each game and not looking too far ahead or too far back in any game. It was also an emotional game for the Indians. With this being the final home game in the career of seniors Cinotto, Kauffman and Landon Waggoner, Branson said that his Indians also did a good job of not letting the emotions of the day overcome their strive to win.
"These guys have worked really hard and we've talked about we need to focused on each day," Branson said. "Not looking towards the end of the season and they've done a very good job of that all year. Trying to take one day at a time and get better every day.
"It was good to have a team really push us because it's been a while since we've been in a tight game. And that's South Callaway's way of playing. We knew going in that they were going to try and bunt and get us to beat them. We now feel like were in a really good spot."
Branson and the Indians moved into their second season in the Class 2 District 8 Tournament in New Bloomfield. Branson said his team now has to prove that they can still win when they need to in the playoffs. Having won four district titles with Russellville, Branson knows what it takes to win in the playoffs and how much different the games are in a single-elimination format.
The Indians defeated New Bloomfield 5-0 in the semifinals thanks to seven innings of four-hit ball thrown by junior Charlie Miller, who struck out nine Wildcats. He hopes that his team can handle the pressure of the playoffs and maintain their approach when the get to play in Eugene (13-5), who the Indians defeated 9-0 on April 25 at home, at 6 p.m. tonight in New Bloomfield.
"I feel like we're playing right at the best that we've played all season," Branson said. "Even though tonight there were a couple of issues here and there. We just kept fighting. We've talked from day one about making sure that we are focused on each day and not skipping steps and not looking ahead. It's hard not too, when you're in the midst of a really good season and you know you've got a chance to be a special team. Now it's all about proving yourself. You can throw the record and ranking out the window. The only thing that matters now is that every team is going to be 0-0. It's that second season and there's pressure that comes along with that. But our kids have been through that before and I think they're hungry. They know what it feels like to lose a district game like we did last year and I think they've got the right attitude. We're in a great spot."
Junior Brennen Stinson crosses home plate and gives the Indians a 2-0 lead on the Bulldogs.
Senior pitcher Logan Cinotto got the win for the Indians on Thursday. Allowing two runs on five hits in three innings.
Junior Jake Schulte pitched the fourth and fifth in for the Indians on Thursday. Schulte batted 3 for 4 with an RBI in Russellville's Thursday night over South Callaway.
Senior Isaiah Kauffman hits a double to center field in the fourth inning against South Callaway. Kauffman went 1-4 with two runs on Thursday.
Isaiah Kauffman comes home off an RBI double from teammate Jake Schulte and puts the Indians up 6-2 in the fourth.
Junior Jake Schulte prepares to steal second base in the sixth inning.
Junior Jake Schulte got the save for Russellville on Thursday night.