Smith-Cotton stuns top-seeded Lee's Summit North

The Smith-Cotton Tigers’ Cinderella run continued on Wednesday with another Class 4, District 13 tournament upset.

With the heart of the order producing the power and the rest of the lineup displaying plate discipline, the fifth-seeded Tigers followed up Tuesday’s 7-6 win over Raymore-Peculiar with an 8-6 victory over top-seeded Lee’s Summit North in Belton.

“It was a good ballgame,” Smith-Cotton Jeff Mays said. “Some of it had to do with the playing conditions, which were definitely tough with the constant rain and wetness of the field. But I think that benefited us. We also came out more fired up and ready to play than them. Considering the seedings, we know we have nothing to lose. No one expects us to do a lot and we’re glad to prove them wrong.”

The win wasn’t flashy, but the bats, defense and pitching staff came through to advance the Tigers to the championship game.

Smith-Cotton’s lineup was out-hit 10 to six, but cleanup man Dustin Broaddus belted a two-run homer in the first and the rest of the offense capitalized on a wild day from the Broncos’ staff, drawing 11 free passes (nine walks and two hit-by- pitches).

“We’re still getting good production from the bottom of the order and the heart of the order continues to drive in runs,” coach Mays said. “It’s not just one guy, it’s a complete effort. Today we got some good sac bunts from Ryan Paul, Tanner McKee showed some patience at the plate and came through and (Dominique Smith) put together some good at-bats and drew some walks. Everyone had a hand in the win.”

The offense was enough to offset a shaky outing from Travis Tindell, who earned the win after allowing five runs on six hits, a hit batter and two walks over three innings. In relief, Addison Foote didn’t allow a run and Jordan Dey earned the save after allowing just three hits and one run. Even without their best stuff, the staff threw strikes and allowed a stout defense to make the plays. The trio, who struck out just a single batter, stranded 10 runners.

“We gave them one good inning where they scored four, but besides that, they couldn’t do much,” coach Mays said. “They just couldn’t get the big hit they needed and we played well defensively again today.”

Playing in a rain-drenched setting, the Tigers’ bats stole the show early. Alex Lang, who had two hits and a pair of RBIs, led off the top of the first with a single but was thrown out on a botched hit-and-run. The mistake, though, would be rectified with a two-out rally. Dylan Mays, who had two hits and an RBI, laced a two-out double to right field and Broaddus (three RBIs) brought him home with a long ball to deep right to stake the Tigers (15-9) to a 2-0 lead.

The Broncos cut the lead in half with a homer in the third, but Smith-Cotton answered with a crooked number in the fourth. The Tigers scored five runs on only one hit, a bunt single by McKee, capitalizing on five walks, a hit batter and a wild pitch to stretch the lead to 7-1.

The Broncos bounced Tindell in the fourth with four runs on five hits, but Foote cleaned up the mess by stranding two runners to end the frame. The Tigers once again answered with a run in the fifth, this time off the bat of Lang. The senior laced an RBI double down the left-field line for Smith-Cotton’s final run.

After the Broncos scored in the fifth to draw the score to 8-6, Spencer White provided a game-saving web gem. Following back-to-back two-out hits that put runners at second and third, the junior third baseman displayed a quick reaction and gloved a sharply hit ball down the line to save a pair of runs. Dey followed by retiring the side in the seventh for the save.

UP NEXT
Tigers vs. Lee’s Summit or Lee’s Summit West
9:30 a.m. Saturday in Belton