By Jacob Govero
Branson, Mo. — With Mother Nature threatening all day, a high school baseball game was able to squeeze in. The Kickapoo Chiefs, sporting a 9-2 record and No. 4 state ranking battled in Branson against a talented Pirates squad.
Logan Porter, pitching as an injury replacement, threw 5.2 strong innings, leading Branson to a 9-2 win. Porter scattered three hits and two runs around an impressive performance against a formidable opponent.
The Chiefs threatened in the first as they loaded the bases with one out. Porter would calm down, getting a strikeout and then a pop-out to right field ending the threat.
“I knew this was a big game and I was doing everything I could to stay focused,” Porter said. “I was nervous but that first inning really helped me calm down. After that inning I knew I could do it.”
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Kickapoo countered with Adam Link on the mound. The senior righty lasted five innings for the Chiefs but surrendered six runs to Branson. Timely hitting proved to be Link’s downfall as Branson was able to land two-out hits in key situations.
Branson would capitalize on their first-inning opportunities. A defensive miscue and wild pitch would lead to two runs for the Pirates as they would take a 2-0 lead to start the game.
What would end up being the deciding run came off of a leadoff second-inning home run by Tyson Holmes. Holmes’ left-field blast would make the score 3-0 as the inning came to an end.
Porter would continue to deal as his final line would be two earned runs, three hits allowed and eight strikeouts. Head coach Troy Nimmo spoke glowingly about him afterwards.
“I can’t say enough about that performance,” Nimmo said of Porter. “The kid didn’t pitch much varsity last year, but he’s gained some velocity. He throws a heavy ball. It’s hard to explain but it’s just hard to hit. It’s like a bowling ball. To get a win against a top-ranked team with great coaches, it’s a great win for us and for him.”
The third inning saw more of the same for both teams. A one-out error by Kickapoo led to loaded bases for Branson with Porter helping himself with a single. Catcher Kap Johnson would lace a shot to right field scoring all three runs and Johnson chugging into second with a double. That made the game 6-0 and Branson was feeling good early.
Kickapoo coach Jason Howser was very complimentary of his opponent.
“Branson came out and played a great game and did everything right and I thought they did an excellent job of making two-strike adjustments (at the plate). They killed us with two strikes. I think they had five or six runs with two strikes,” Howser said.
Kickapoo would finally chase Porter in the sixth inning. Catcher Andrew Kauffman hammered a pitch off the left-field wall, scoring MSU prospect Robbie Merced for Kickapoo’s first run of the game. Junior Michael Allison would come on in relief to end the rally as the Chiefs would plate only one more run making it a 6-2 game.
Branson added three more runs in their sixth and final at bat. With reliever Mason Hatch on the mound the Pirates would use a double by first baseman Bryce Burtless to make the score 9-2.
It was some much-needed positive energy for a Pirates team that saw them lose senior starting second baseman Dawson Nimmo for the season. Nimmo was lost in their weekend game against Winnetonka. Branson also had a couple other players missing with injuries.
“It was a tough weekend,” Troy Nimmo said. “We were down as coaches, I was down as a dad and a coach and the kids were down, so to come out and play like we did today was pretty uplifting.”
With the victory Branson improves to 7-5 on the season. They will stay at home for their next game Tuesday at 4:30 against Carl Junction. Kickapoo falls to 9-3. They will take part in the Tyler Phipps Festival in Ozark this coming weekend. Their first opponent on Friday will be Springdale Har-Ber out of Arkansas.
