It wasn’t the prettiest game for the Helias Crusaders, except maybe on the scoreboard.
“It’s an ugly win, but a win is a win,” Helias coach Chris Wyrick said Monday after the Crusaders used a three-run fifth inning to rally for a 5-3 victory against the Eldon Mustangs at the American Legion Post 5 Sports Complex. “We cannot survive playing like this, we have to play cleaner baseball.”
The Crusaders committed three errors in the game, leading to a pair of unearned runs for the Mustangs.
“Our pitching has given us a chance to win all year long,” Wyrick said. “But our defense has got to get better. We made uncharacteristic errors today that I haven’t seen from us in years.”
Helias strung together three two-out singles to get a run home in the bottom of the second inning. Kase Winegar started the string with a bloop hit to center before Brock Brenneke singled to left. Maddox Alfutis then hit an 0-2 pitch to left to score Winegar.
Eldon, which had won its last six games, answered with a run in the top of the third.
Cannon Ahart led off the inning with a single before a double by Kole Evers put runners at second and third. After a strikeout, Aiden Henley grounded to third to score Ahart to the the game. Helias starting pitcher Thorn Phillips got out of the inning with a fly out to center.
The Mustangs took the lead with a run in the fifth. After the first two Eldon batters were retired, Devin Hardy doubled down the line in left before Henley singled to make it 2-1.
Helias regained the lead with three runs in the bottom of the inning.
With one out, Sam Wyrick and David Hofherr drew consecutive walks. Ben Miller then hit a 3-1 pitch to right for a single to score Wyrick to tie the game. Patrick Baker reached on an error as Hofherr came home to give Helias the lead before Winegar hit a fly to right to plate courtesy runner Landon King to make it 4-2.
“We work on that all of the time, getting guys in from third,” Chris Wyrick said. “Kase did a good job.”
It was a pivotal half-inning in the game.
“If we go down in order there, we’re probably scrapping for our lives the rest of the way,” Wyrick said.
Trey Rice came on in relief of Phillips to start the sixth. Hunter Hees of the Mustangs hit a one-out single, advanced to third on an error before scoring on a fly out by Jude Rader to make it 4-3. A walk and a stolen base had Eldon runners at second and third before Rice got out of the inning with a grounder to short.
Helias got that run back in the bottom of the inning, Nate Roark hit a one-out single to right. Luke Cavender came on to run and advanced to second on a passed ball before going to third on an infield single by Drew Miller. One out later, Cavender scored on an infield error on a pop up to give Helias a 5-3 lead.
Rice closed the game by retiring the Mustangs in order in the seventh.
It was the fifth save of the season for the junior right-hander to tie the Helias single-season record set by Mark Brandt in 1989.
“He’s embraced the role,” Wyrick said. “He wants to come in for those situations, he’s got good stuff and he gets after the hitters.”
Rice’s saves haven’t come with just one out or working just the seventh.
“Most of them have been two-inning saves,” Wyrick said. “Once he goes out there for that second inning, he usually finds a great rhythm. He comes in and fills up the strike zone with more than one pitch.”
Phillips got the win, allowing one earned run on three hits and no walks while striking out six in his five innings of work.
“I think he may have only thrown three bad pitches and they capitalized on them,” Wyrick said. “Thorn pitched very well.”
Jacob Bishop took the loss for the Mustangs. The junior allowed four runs (one earned) on four hits and four walks while striking out two in 4⅓ innings.
“Bishop threw well,” Wyrick said.
Haiden Barnett pitched the final 1⅔ innings, allowing an unearned run on two hits.
“Eldon is tough, they don’t quit,” Wyrick said. “They’ve obviously been playing very well lately.”
Eldon (9-7) is scheduled to play a Tri-County Conference game today at Boonville.
Helias (12-3), ranked No. 3 in Class 5, will host Class 6 No. 6 Rock Bridge (17-2) in a Central Missouri Activities Conference contest Wednesday at the Legion Complex. The varsity game is scheduled for a 5 p.m. start.
“We need to match what they can bring to the table,” Wyrick said. “We need to come out ready to go, don’t back down, see who the better team is.”
In Monday’s JV game, Helias defeated Eldon 5-2.
Hayden Schlup drove in three runs for the Crusaders. Cam Hoelscher went the distance to get the win, allowing one earned run on two hits and three walks while recording seven strikeouts.