Fort Scott downs Cimarron River, 6-4

Fort Scott and Cimarron River played the best game of the Kansas Cal Ripken 9-Year-Old State Baseball Tournament Saturday. It was the first one to go the full six innings and the only one in the tournament to be decided by fewer than 2 runs when the day's activities were concluded.

Fort Scott defeated the Rattlers, 6-4, in American pool play in a battle of Friday winners, giving the Tigers the only 2-0 record in the pool going into Sunday's play, which is summarized elsewhere on this page.

In other games, Paola got its first victory of the tournament, beating Haysville 17-4, Emporia remained unbeaten in the National pool with a 13-3 victory over Neosho River Valley, and Winfield also gained its first win in tourney play, 16-6 over Cottonwood Valley.

Fort Scott 6, Cimarron River 4.

Gage Wilson earned Most Valuable Player honors for Fort Scott with four innings of 3-hit pitching and a 2-for-3 performance at the plate. Wilson struck out 6 and walked 6 in four innings.

Cimarron River held the lead after one inning, scoring a pair of runs on just one hit. The Tigers scored an unearned run in the top of the second inning as Wilson singled to left, moved to second when Keenan Guilfoyle drew a walk, stole third and scored on a throwing error.

The Rattlers scored in the bottom of the second to make it a 3-1 game. Brance Ware was hit by a pitch leading off the top of the third for the Tigers, advanced to second on Nick Hathaway's walk and scored on Wilson's single.

Cimarron River scored again in the bottom of the third to make it 4-2. Fort Scott took the lead in the top of the fourth. Brody White led off the inning on a base hit, then scored all the way from first when the Rattler's catcher missed the pitcher on the throw back to the mound following a strikeout -- the ball ended up rolling to the center field fence.

The rally continued when Brody Bowles reached base on a 2-out error. Ware singled to center and advanced to second on an error, which allowed Bowles to score the tying run. The Tigers took a 5-4 lead when Ware moved to third, then home on wild pitches.

The insurance run scored in the top of the fifth. Brayden Engstrom led off the inning and beat out the throw from shortstop on a grounder. Cole Davis drew a walk and Engstrom hustled in from second on a sacrifice bunt by Lucas Harryman.

Ware took over on the hill in the top of the fifth and got Cimarron River out in order. The Tigers had runners on first and second with 2 out in the top of the sixth but Rattler pitcher Braxton Hyde got a strikeout to end the rally. Ware got the first to batters in the bottom of the inning to ground out to second baseman White. Brody Sumner kept the Rattlers' hopes alive with a double but Ware got the final batter to ground out to shortstop Bowles.

White earned the game's WOW Award for Fort Scott. Hyde was Cimarron River's MVP while Sumner, who went 3 for 4 at the plate, was the Rattlers' WOW winner.

Paola 17, Haysville 4.

Paola set the tempo with an 8-run first inning and scored five more in the top of the fifth inning of the day's opener. This was the first game to go five innings after each of Friday's games ended after four because of the 10-run rule.

John Colwell was 4 for 4, driving in 4 runs and scoring 3 himself for the Panthers. Team MVP Creigh Markovich was 2 for 3, driving in 2 runs. Mason Telcott was 2 for 2, scoring twice. Mason Hunter drove in 3 runs. Grant Penn won the WOW Award and also allowed just 1 hit in 4 innings on the mound, walking 3 and striking out 3.

Cooper Page was Haysville's MVP and Tyson Ray was the Stars' WOW recipient. Mason McCray was the only Star with 2 hits.

Emporia 13, Neosho River Valley 3.

Although it walked away in the end, Emporia didn't take the lead for good until scoring 6 times in the top of the fourth to make it 10-3. Pitcher Reilly Wagner was Emporia's MVP, going the final 4 innings and allowing just 1 hit and 1 walk while striking out 7. He also scored 3 runs. Hayden Baumwart was the only Emporia player with 2 hits. First baseman Skyler Douglas was given the WOW Award.

Kale Irwin was MVP for Neosho River Valley, which had just 2 hits. Gabe Johnson received the WOW Award.

Winfield 16, Cottonwood Valley 6.

Winfield led 12-0 after three innings and pitcher K.C. Crandall, the Warrriors' MVP for the game, held Cottonwood Valley to no hits in his three innings of pitching. He walked one batter and struck out 7.

But Cottonwood Valley showed they aren't quitters, extending the game by scoring 6 times off a new pitcher in the top of the fourth. They needed only one hit as they took advantage of 5 Warrior errors. Winfield was finally able to get the run rule to kick in when they scored 4 times in the bottom of the fourth.

For Winfield, which needed only 5 hits in the victory, Tyler Randall went 2 for 4 with 2 RBI. Crandall and Randall scored 3 runs each. Pierce Warren received his team's WOW Award.

Brandon Smith was Cottonwood Valley's MVP while Luke Lanning claimed the WOW Award. Lanning had the Valley's only base hit.