Tigers fall in 16-inning marathon, 7-6

ANDERSON, Mo. -- It was most likely the longest game in school history and Fort Scott High's baseball team came out on the short end of a 7-6 marathon against McDonald County here Monday afternoon.

Kaleb DeLaTorre sent the game into extra innings with a two-run home run in the top of the seventh inning. Marcus Jamison started the inning with a single to right field to get on base in front of DeLaTorre's blast.

That was the last time anyone scored until Jamie Hanke made himself the winning pitcher by knocking one out of the park with one out in the bottom of the 16th.

The Tribune's records go back to 1996, so it's not known if there's been a game equally as long or longer in the program's history. The longest on record is a 12-inning win over Prairie View in a Regional semifinal game on May 16, 2007.

Mac County scored 5 runs in the game's first three innings. Fort Scott (12-6) didn't get on the board until the top of the fourth. Grant Goldston singled to center with one out and Carter Young followed up with a double. Kieran Houlihan grounded into a fielder's choice that saw Goldston out at home. Taylor Engstrom singled to right to score Young. Houlihan came home when the throw back to the infield was misplayed.

Jamison and DeLaTorre hit back-to-back doubled to start the top of the fifth to generate one run. DeLaTorre moved to third on a groundout. Goldston was intentionally walked to get to Young, whose sacrifice fly scored DeLaTorre to bring Fort Scott within 5-4.

The Mustangs scored a run in the bottom of the fifth to reclaim the lead, 6-5. Mac County didn't score again for 10 innings.

After DeLaTorre's tying homer, the Tigers didn't score for the remaining nine innings, their longest scoreless run of the season. Consider that the previous long drought of 7 innings came over the course of two games against Pittsburg on May 2. Fort Scott didn't score in the last five innings of the opener and the first two of the nightcap.

Fort Scott had 17 hits in the game. Jamison, batting ninth, was 5 for 7 and scored twice. DeLaTorre was 3 for 6 with 3 runs batted in. Goldston was also 3 for 6. Young, Engstrom and De'Vonte Robinson each had 2 hits.

Robinson had a tough go of it as the Tigers' starting pitcher. He allowed one earned run on 6 hits and 4 walks in 6 1/3 innings. Jordan Phillips followed and went the next 6 2/3 innings. He allowed 2 hits and 4 walks while striking out 4. Colby Page (2-2) was the hard-luck loser allowing 2 hits in 2 1/3 innings and striking out 4.

Hanke pitched 7 innings in relief for the Mustangs, allowing 5 hits and one walk while striking out 4.

The Tigers play their home finale Thursday at Dave Regan Stadium. The Southeast Kansas League championship is on the line as Chanute visits for a 4:30 p.m. doubleheader. Fort Scott (9-1 SEK) only needs to win one of the two games to clinch its fourth consecutive championship. Chanute (8-2, 12-5) has to win both games in order to win the SEK for the first time since 2006.

If Chanute wins the first game, the second game will be winner-take-all as the teams cannot finish in a tie.

Fort Scott........................ 000 220 200 000 000 0 -- 6 17 5

McDonald County....... 221 010 000 000 000 1 -- 7 10 4

WP -- Hanke. LP -- Page (2-2).

HR -- Fort Scott: DeLaTorre (2, 7th inn., 1 on, none out). McDonald County: Hanke (16th inn., none on, 1 out).