Routt’s Bryson Mossman looks up for the umpire’s call after being tagged out by Greenfield-Northwestern catcher Kayden Roberts in a close play at the plate during a baseball game in Jacksonville on Monday.
Dennis Mathes | Journal-Courier
Action from the Routt baseball team’s win over Greenfield-Northwestern in Jacksonville on Monday
Dennis Mathes | Journal-Courier
Action from the Routt baseball team’s win over Greenfield-Northwestern in Jacksonville on Monday
Dennis Mathes | Journal-Courier
Action from the Routt baseball team’s win over Greenfield-Northwestern in Jacksonville on Monday
Dennis Mathes | Journal-Courier
Action from the Routt baseball team’s win over Greenfield-Northwestern in Jacksonville on Monday
Dennis Mathes | Journal-Courier
Action from the Routt baseball team’s win over Greenfield-Northwestern in Jacksonville on Monday
Dennis Mathes | Journal-Courier
Action from the Routt baseball team’s win over Greenfield-Northwestern in Jacksonville on Monday
Dennis Mathes | Journal-Courier
Routt’s Bryson Mossman broke out of a 1-for-7 slump over the past two games, going 4-for-4 with five RBIs as the Rockets beat Greenfield-Northwestern 17-7 in Jacksonville on Monday.
Routt improved to 9-5 overall and remained undefeated in the Western Illinois Valley Conference.
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Mossman came in early for a little extra batting practice before Monday’s game. He said he tried not to do too much, and focused on hitting line drives.
“The past two games, I think I was like 0-for-8, so I’m glad it balanced out a little bit,” Mossman said.
Routt jumped on top with a run in the bottom of the first, but Greenfield-Northwestern scored four in the second inning to take a 4-1 lead.
Routt answered with six in the bottom of the second to regain the lead. Kale Reich got the rally started, blasting a two-run homer to drive in Dalton Brown, who reached on an error leading off the inning.
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Sam Long followed with a walk and advanced all the way to third on a missed pickoff attempt. Talon Thompson walked. Owen Smith, running for Thompson, stole second before Mossman singled to center to drive in a pair of runs to put Routt back on top, 5-4.
Mossman stole second and scored on a two-out double by Jacob Brown. Anson Butcher followed with a single to drive in Brown to make it 7-4.
Routt added single runs in the third and fourth innings. Greenfield-NW scored three in the fifth to cut the lead to 9-7, but Routt responded with a run in the bottom of the fifth before ending the game early with seven in the sixth. Tigers pitchers hit four batters in the inning, forcing in the game-winning run when pinch hitter Brody Beets was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. Taegan Rives, Long, Mossman and Brady Turner all singled in the inning.
“Credit to Greenfield and Coach (Jacob) McEvers,” Routt coach Ryan Turner said. “He always has his guys ready, and they came out and made it a little tougher on us than we anticipated, I think.
“I was just proud of our guys, the way they responded with the bats and hit the ball pretty well today.”
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Jonas Brown, Samuel Long and Dalton Brown all pitched for the Rockets, combining for a five-hitter. Brown shut out the Tigers on no hits in the sixth inning to set the stage for Routt’s final rally.
Brock Bowman, Mason Winters and Logan Ross all pitched for the the Tigers. Hudson Duncheon had two hits to lead Greenfield-Northwestern. Ross hit a double.
Reich and Jacob Brown had two hits apiece to lead the Rockets. “Kale had a nice breakout game,” Turner said. “He got his home run and caught a couple of good barrels. Jacob Brown had a nice barrel off the wall. Just proud of the guys. Proud of Bryson and his efforts, for sure. And I’m glad he’s a baseball player this year.”
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Mossman returned to the baseball team this season after taking a year off. The senior is headed to Quincy University on a basketball scholarship this fall.
“I’ve played baseball my whole life,” Mossman said. “I didn’t play last year and just kind of wanted to do it one more time with my boys.”