Savannah bounces back with offensive surge in Pony Express consolation game

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. — With the Walkoff Wood Bat Company High School Wood Bat Tournament in the rearview mirror, another bracket began unfolding Monday as the Pony Express Tournament got underway.

Both Savannah and Maryville opened the tourney with double-digit losses, dropping them into the consolation side of the bracket. There was still pride on the line and a shot at the consolation championship in play. Fueled by a big first inning and a six-run sixth, the Savages surged past the Spoofhounds for an 11-4 win at Hyde Park.

Maryville struck first, showing some early life at the plate. After Carson Hageman lifted a routine flyout to center to begin the game, Jackson Wilmes ripped a ball into the outfield, allowing Connolly Mayfield, who got on base due to a walk, to come around and score, but the 1-0 lead didn’t last long.

Savannah wasted no time countering in the bottom half of the inning. JD Ledden dropped a single into shallow center to get things started. After Landon Noland followed with a base hit, Mason Waitkoss punched a liner down the third-base line that clipped the bag and stayed fair, driving in Ledden to even the score.

Jagger Jackson kept the line moving with a single, and Cooper Swan reached on an error that loaded the bases with two outs. Jackson Dudeck then delivered a sharp grounder to the left side that eluded the third baseman, scoring two runs before Dudeck was thrown out trying to stretch it to third, but not before the damage was done, and Savannah took a 3-1 lead.

Maryville threatened in the top of the second, stringing together a pair of singles and moving a runner to third. However, the inning ended on another Hageman pop-up, and the Spoofhounds came away empty-handed.

After a brief pitchers’ duel in the third, the Savages added on. Waitkoss opened the bottom half with a double, advanced on a balk, and scored easily when Swan found the gap in right-center to make it 4-1.

Maryville’s best moment came in the fifth, when Creason launched a solo home run over the left-field fence to pull the Spoofhounds within two, but the Savages would shut the door not long after.

A six-run burst in the sixth inning broke things wide open, as Savannah capitalized on several timely hits and defensive miscues to put the game out of reach. Maryville added two runs in the seventh, but the rally fizzled quickly as Savannah closed things out.

With the win, the Savages advance in the consolation bracket and will return to action at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at Hyde Park against Chillicothe.