By John Miller (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
Springfield, Mo. — The top-seed in the Class 5, District 11 Tournament lived up to its billing on Monday evening.
The Glendale Falcons pounded out 13 hits and scored 11 runs in an 11-3 district semifinal victory over Nixa at Kickapoo High School.
Four players had multi-hit efforts for Glendale and eight different players scored runs.
“The mindset any day is to come out and try and score more runs than the other team,” said Glendale’s Jack Hamlin, who finished 1-for-4 with three RBIs. “If you overthink it, that’s when you play tense and not play as good as you can.”
Glendale’s offense also got help from Nixa’s defense, which committed four errors. Of their 11 runs, four were unearned.
“Normally, the team that makes the least amount of mistakes will end up winning,” Hamlin said. “They’re a great ball team. Hats off to them. They’ve had a great season and have some good seniors graduating.”
Nixa started the game strong, with back-to-back doubles by Payton Hannah and Brett Hammit putting them in front 1-0. Glendale countered with two runs in their first inning, including an RBI triple from Ethan Paschke, making the score 2-1.
The Falcons added four more in the third — two on a single from Hamlin and two more on Thomas Brand’s double. The inning was aided by a dropped fly ball in right field.
CLICK HERE FOR PHOTOS OF THE GAME
“In any game, especially a district game, you have to take advantage of what the other team gives you,” Glendale coach Jim Julian said. “We’ve been trying to get the guys to apply pressure offensively all year long. If you do that, eventually you’re going to bust through and score some runs. I thought we did a really good job of that tonight, all the way from the first inning to the end of the game.”
Max Elmer, Timothy Glenn, Brett Henry, and Ty Wilmsmeyer all went 2-for-4 for Glendale. Luke Hausman hit a solo homer over the fence in centerfield.
Hammit and Joe Reid each went 3-for-4 for Nixa. Steven Belcher finished 2-for-4 with a double.
“Regardless of if it’s Kickapoo or Ozark, we’re going to be ready and excited to play the game, come out with some intensity, and get a W tomorrow,” Hamlin said.
Nixa 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 3 9 4
Glendale 2 4 0 1 3 1 x 11 13 0
WP – Paschke
LP – Mitchell
Nixa: Hammit 3, Reid 3 (2 2B), Belcher 2 (2B), Hannah (2B)
Glendale: Henry 2, Glenn 2 (2B), Brand (2B), Wilmsmeyer 2, Elmer 2 (2B), Hamlin, Paschke (3B), Hausman (HR), Parrish (2B)
