Seven-run fifth gets Tigers past Nevada

NEVADA --Fort Scott High's baseball team took advantage of four Nevada errors in the fifth inning here tuesday as the Tigers went on to beat the host team, 11-4, in a non-league game at Lyons Stadium.

"I thought we made some mistakes early on and Nevada really capitalized on them," Fort Scott head coach Josh Regan said afterward. "So I was down on our guys after the first couple innings, and thought we squandered some opportunities."

The Tigers' first run was unearned after Kieran Houlihan reached on an error leading off the second, moved up on a single by Taylor Engstrom and later scored on a 2-out double by De'Vonte Robinson.

Nevada (10-13) took the lead in the bottom of the third on a 2-run home run by Brett Mitchell. The home team -- also called the Tigers -- added another run in the third when Brandon Harder hit a leadoff triple and scored on a wild pitch.

Fort Scott (12-5) began its rally when Ty Gorman led off the fifth with a double. Jeron Poyner drew a one-out walk. Grant Goldston singled to plate Gorman. Then Houluhan hit a 2-out single that scored Poyner with the tying run.

Engstron drew a walk. Then Marcus Jamison reached on an error that allowed Goldston and Houlihan to score, making it 5-3.

Robinson reached base on another error, which allowed Engstrom and Jamison to come around to make it 7-3. Robinson moved to second on a bad pickoff throw and scored the final run of the inning on Gorman's second hit of the frame, a single to left.

"Our approach changed," Regan said. "We become more aggressive and confident. We had much better at-bats and ran the bases tremendously from that point on. We were taking extra bases. We were just really aggressive in all phases."

Nevada scored one in the bottom of the fifth when Mitchell hit a one-out double and scored on Andy Heathman's 2-out single.

Fort Scott added three in the sixth. Goldston hit a one-out single. Carter Young scored him with a triple and came in on Houlihan's single. Houlihan went to third on an Engstrom hit and scored on a groundout.

Goldston, Houlihan, Engstrom and Gorman each had 2 of Fort Scott's 11 hits. Mitchell was 3 for 4 for Nevada while Ketterman was 2 for 4.

Goldston (2-0) also pitched the first 5 innings, allowing 4 runs on 7 hits and 2 walks while striking out 6. Colby Page pitched the last 2 innings, striking out 2.

"I thought Grant was outstanding," Regan said. "About three weeks ago he pulled his groin, so it's been kind of a process working him back. That's the longest he's gone (since returning from injury). I thought he really pounded the zone and went after people.

"(Page) is winning himself a bigger and bigger role on our pitching staff."

Ketterman, who had struck out 11 Sherwood batters in a 10-0 run-rule win a week ago, allowed 10 runs -- 3 earned --on 9 hits and 3 walks with 4 strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings.

The Tigers will go on another Missouri road trip Monday, playing McDonald County at 3 p.m. in Anderson, Mo.

Matthew Resnick of the Nevada Daily Mail contributed to this report.

Fort Scott............... 010 073 0 -- 11 11 2

Nevada...................... 002 110 0 -- 4 7 7

WP -- G.Goldston (2-0). LP -- Ketterman.

HR -- Nevada: Mitchell (3rd inn., 1 on, 2 out).