Tigers sweep Bulldogs in league twinbill

Fort Scott head coach B.J. Pruitt congratulates shortstop Mikey Karleskint after the senior hit a 3-run home run in the third inning of the first game of a Southeast Kansas League doubleheader versus Independence Tuesday at Lions Field. The Tigers won the opener 4-1 then went on to make it a sweep with a 6-3 victory in the nightcap (Kenny Felt/Captured Images)

Timely hitting, good defense, solid pitching. All these elements came together for the Fort Scott High School baseball team in a Southeast Kansas League sweep of Independence at Lions Field Tuesday night. The Tigers handed the Bulldogs their first league losses by scores of 4-1 and 6-3.

"We played well tonight defensively," Fort Scott head coach B.J. Pruitt said. "We put the ball in play and we got timely hits. We got hits with runners in scoring position and that led to our scores in the first game.

"In the second game, we put the ball in play and we forced them to make plays, which they struggled with."

All the runs in the opener scored in the third inning. Independence pitcher Dylan Kemp aided his own cause in the top of the inning by driving in Dalton Shaffer.

Justin Uhler was hit by a pitch leading off the bottom of the frame. Alex Pemberton drew a one-out walk and Mikey Karleskint delivered an opposite-field homer over the right-field fence to put the Tigers (2-2 SEK, 3-4 overall) ahead 3-1.

Catcher Josh Durossette followed with a walk. His courtesy runner, Dustin Stewart, scored from there on Luke Brown's double.

Although Matt Carrillo (2-1) allowed 10 hits, he struck out 8 -- five of them looking -- and stranded 11 Indy baserunners.

"Matt threw outstanding," Pruitt said. "His pitch count got a little bit high but he battled the entire time. Late in the game, he was still throwing strikes and getting guys out."

The only players in the game with more than one hit were Indy's Dustin Oliver and Jimmy Dierks, each going 2 for 3. Oliver got on base every time he came to the plate but was left there every time.

The Tigers scored the first 2 runs of the second game in the bottom of the first. Leadoff batter Pemberton was hit by a pitch, then stole second. Karleskint reached on a one-out error and Pemberton scored on Durossette's groundout. Karleskint scored later via two passed balls.

Cole Clayton retired the first six Independence batters and a double play in the third helped him get out of trouble.

But the Bulldogs (4-2, 4-4) started the top of the fourth with four consecutive base hits and tied the game. Alex Pemberton came on and got the final two outs on a double-play ball.

Fort Scott took the lead right back. Carillo led off with a single and Jaret Thorpe reached on a one-out error. Pemberton traded places with Thorpe on a fielder's choice with a bad throw allowing pinch-runner Dane Cummings to score the go-ahead run.

Jeremy Hull reached base on an error and Karleskint doubled home Pemberton and Hull to make it 5-2.

Shaffer singled home Brandon Stein, who had led off the inning with a double, in the sixth to bring Independence within 5-3. But Uhler scored in the bottom of the inning to restore the 3-run margin as he was hit by a pitch leading off the inning, stole second, moved to third on a passed ball and scored on a throwing error by the catcher.

Pemberton (1-0) allowed 2 hits and struck out 3 in his four innings of work. Neither Tiger pitcher walked a batter.

"Cole got ahead of the batters the first time through the order," Pruitt said. "Then Pemberton came in and kept the ball down and kind of kept them off balance a little bit. And that was a key for was being able to keep the ball down and make the plays behind our pitchers."

Shaffer went 2 for 3 for Independence, the only batter with more than one hit for either side. Karleskint, however, has 2 hits and 5 RBI in the doubleheader.

This was the Tigers' first action since April 8. But now they will have to play again Friday as Labette County will drop in for a 4:30 p.m. league doubleheader at Lions Field.

"Carillo will be out (as a pitcher) because he threw well over 100 pitches," Pruitt said. "We'll see how Cole and Alex bounce back tomorrow and Thursday and see if there's any soreness in their arms. One of them should be able to start at least one of the games. Then, we'll see how some of the other guy's arms are. We've got some pitching depth."

NOTES -- Only 6 of Independence's 42 outs in the doubleheader were fly balls to the outfield....

The Tigers turned two double plays in the second game. The first was a line drive back to Clayton on the mound, who then tossed to first to end the third....

Game One

WP -- Carillo (2-1). LP -- Kemp.

HR -- Fort Scott: Karleskint (1, 3rd inn., two on, two out).

Game Two

WP -- Pemberton (1-0). LP -- Dierks.

HR -- None