Wildcat Baseball wins District 9
Photo submitted
The Licking Wildcats, Class 3 District 9 Champions. From left, kneeling, Kannon Buckner, Cole McCloy, Garrett Gorman, Kellar Davis, Karson Walker, Jasper McCloy and Logan Gorman; standing: Kale Cook, Silas Antle, Keyton Cook, Jordan Ritz, Austin Stephens, Rusty Buckner, Conway Adey, Nate Gambill, Gavin Buckner and Isaac Rinne.
By Coach Harv Antle
The Licking Wildcats captured their second consecutive district championship last Thursday with a 10-0 victory over the Belle Tigers. The victory raised Licking’s record to 23-3 for the spring and moved the Wildcats into the sectional round of the state tournament where they will meet the Houston Tigers.
Here are the game recaps of the district tournament:
LICKING 9, STEELVILLE 2
STEELVILLE, Mo. – In the semifinal round of the Class 3 District 9 Tournament, the Licking Wildcats defeated the host Cardinals of Steelville 9-2.
Keyton Cook picked up the victory for Licking working into the fifth inning. He allowed two runs on one hit and fanned seven before giving way to Jordan Ritz in the fifth inning.
Ritz struck out three over his two innings of work. He allowed one hit and one walk before Silas Antle worked a 1-2-3 seventh with three strikeouts to end the game.
Rusty Buckner was the offensive catalyst for Licking. The senior belted a home run and drove in three runs as part of a 4-for-4 performance.
Antle, Keyton Cook, and Kannon Buckner also contributed multi-hit games. Buckner recorded three runs-batted-in.
LICKING 10, BELLE 0
- CLAIR, Mo. – The championship game was moved to St. Clair High School due to field conditions and the Licking Wildcats looked right at home in cruising to a 10-0 victory in five innings over the Belle Tigers.
Kellar Davis threw a complete game shutout for Licking in which he allowed just one hit. The senior right hander struck out five and walked two.
Davis also contributed a hit and scored two runs in the win. The big bat though was once again Rusty Buckner.
Buckner cranked a double and a single and drove in four runs. Kale Cook keyed a three-run third inning with a 2-run double, and Silas Antle went 2-for-3 with two runs scored.
Garrett Gorman chipped in with a run-scoring single for the Wildcats, and Kannon Buckner delivered two RBIs. Karson Walker had a hit and two runs scored, and Keyton Cook singled, walked and reached base three times while scoring once.
