By Tyler F. Thompson (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
STRAFFORD — With the top-seeded Strafford Indians out of the Class 4 District 10 tournament, everything was in front of the Mt. Vernon Mountaineers (16-12) and the Nevada Tigers (18-11) Tuesday evening at Strafford.
A pitchers’ duel set the stage as Braden Dodson and Caden Klumpp took to the bump. It was Klumpp who prevailed showing poise, a wicked off-speed, and consistency as he hurled his Tigers to the 5-0 win and another district crown.
The win gives the Tigers three consecutive district title championships.
Klumpp finished with 11 Ks in 6 2/3 innings, but a pitch count forced his way off the hill with one out to go.
“I felt great. Everything was working well,” Klumpp said of this 3-pitch arsenal. “I felt like I could locate all of my pitches.”
And locate he did, going low and away before climbing the ladder with heat.
He held Mt. Vernon to just three total hits.
“I trust my defense to make plays, so it is easy to pitch when you have that behind you,” Klumpp said. “It just makes my job easier. I can have confidence in going over the zone.”
Off-speed, low and away, the plan was perfected.
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“I trust myself, and I knew that I could just pound the zone,” Klumpp said, who credits the culture for the team’s success of late.
Added Klumpp: “The last three years, there have been really good leaders. I think we are in a really good spot.”
For four innings, there were eight combined strikeouts, five runners stranded and three stolen bases.
And no runs.
Until the bottom of the fifth, when a walk and a stolen base by Graham Walker, followed by a Kellen Braden single, kickstarted the Tigers’ offense.
With the bases juiced, Jett Snyder connected for the 2-run double.
An E4 led to another run on Klumpp’s shot to second, with another run coming on a wild pitch.
A fielder’s choice led to the fifth run — giving the senior hurler all the support he needed.
The four-plus-inning duel was of little shock to Nevada skipper Danny Penn.
“It was [to be expected],” Penn said of the battle. “We faced Dodson earlier in the season, so we knew what he was capable of. He went more fastball today. It took a while to adjust to that. The first time he threw more off-speed pitches.”
Dodson went 4 2/3, allowing five runs.
As for Dodson’s counterpart, it was a typical day’s work.
“Caden did what he has been doing all season,” said Penn. “It is a luxury for us. He threw both sides of the plate and was in control.”
Activity on the basepaths is a tangible that suits the Tigers just fine, and they were active again, this time in the fourth and fifth innings.
Just in time to complement timely hitting, an M.O. for the Tigers.
“Any way we can to put pressure on, we are always looking to capitalize,” said Klumpp.
With two outs in the seventh, Klumpp exited, giving way to Montgomery Palmer.
Nevada will face Blair Oaks (21-15) on May 27 at the Class 4 sectionals.
