The Joplin Eagles weren’t satisfied with just making it this far.
They entered Saturday’s Class 6 District 6 Tournament championship game wanting more, even after knocking off two higher seeds this week.
“A lot of people were catching me and telling me, ‘You got nothing to lose. You’re playing with house money,’” said Joplin coach Kyle Wolf. “I said, ‘The heck with that.’ We earned the right to be on this stage as much as anybody did. We do have something to lose – it’s a district championship.”
Led by dominant pitching and defense galore, the No. 5-seed Eagles finished their remarkable four-day run with a district championship.
Joplin took down state-ranked Nixa 3-1 at Glendale High School to earn its first district championship since 2009. Joplin entered districts at just 14-16 overall, but the Eagles are trending up at the right time.
They’re now 7-1 in their last eight games, including upset wins over Neosho, Kickapoo and Nixa in districts this week. Joplin also avenged an 8-0 loss to Nixa from the regular season meeting.
“From the beginning, we had belief in ourselves. We struggled through some tough games and close games in conference,” said Saturday’s starting pitcher, senior Landry Wilson. “Through that, we found what’s going to win us games. I think keeping that and staying humble to ourselves has led us to bring out all this fire in the postseason and district championship.”
Wilson capped a superb week for the Joplin pitching staff. He went the distance on Saturday, allowing just three hits and working his way around four walks and two beaned batters.
“I really think that it’s all (because of) my teammates. We have confidence and trust in each other, and I think that carried over to the Kickapoo game and this game,” Wilson said. “With the bond that our team has, it gives me all the confidence that I need to go out and perform for my team.”
Eagles starter Brecken Green threw 5 2/3 innings in Wednesday’s opening-round win (6-1) over Neosho. David Bhend threw the final 1 1/3 innings of relief (eight pitches) to clinch that win, then tossed a complete game shutout 24 hours later as Joplin blanked top-seed Kickapoo 2-0 in the semifinals.
“Credit to our guys for pounding the zone and continuing to put pressure on the hitters. Then making plays behind them when we had the chance,” Wolf said. “We had relievers over here who were itching to get in. Once it got to the 7th inning today, we were going to give (Landry) his opportunity and the right to try and go out there and get that W.”
Joplin (17-16 overall) scored all its runs in the first inning against Nixa starter Colin Kelley, who recovered from the shaky start to throw a complete game.
After the first three hitters reached base, Kelley nearly worked his way out of the first-inning jam with only one run allowed. But senior outfielder Cooper Williams delivered the biggest hit of the game with a two-out, two-run single that pushed Joplin’s lead to 3-0.
“We’re not like some other teams where we’re going to hit a lot of 3-run home runs and those sorts of things,” Wolf said. “We have to do it a little differently, and we’ve bought into that.”
Nixa (26-11 overall, No. 6-ranked in Class 6 state coaches’ poll) plated its lone run on Tyler Yonker’s RBI single in the sixth.
Nixa stranded eight base runners on the day, thanks in part to the performance of Joplin’s defense that made noteworthy plays throughout the game. In the bottom of the sixth, Joplin second baseman Peyton Swenson made an over-the-shoulder catch in shallow center to thwart a potential Nixa rally.
“About the time you felt like maybe (Nixa) was getting a little momentum, we would make a big defensive play that took some of that (momentum) away,” Wolf said. “That gives the pitcher the confidence to stay in the zone and keep attacking hitters, because we’re going to make a play behind him. That goes back to the trust and love they have for each other. They’re willing to lay out and go make that play for their brother.”
A significant new postseason wrinkle awaits Joplin for next weekend’s quarterfinal matchup at Blue Springs South. The teams will play a best-of-three series, starting Friday, May 30.
Game 2 will be played the next day, May 31. If necessary, a winner-take-all Game 3 would be played later that day.
“It’s a huge change and it’s going to be interesting to see how people handle that,” Wolf said. “I like it. All year long, we’re playing 30-some games and trying to develop a pitching staff. Then you get to a situation where, after the district tournament, you can really ride one guy all the way to a championship. It gives teams a (new) opportunity to try to get to that state championship. I think it’s a good thing, and we’re looking forward to being a part of it.”
Wolf is also savoring this last hurrah as he concludes an eight-year tenure as Joplin’s head baseball coach.
Starting next school year, he will take on a full administrative role as the middle school athletic director.
“If I’m being honest with you, I made the decision with my head,” Wolf said. “I kind of needed to do that. I don’t know if my heart is out of coaching yet. Going through and doing this certainly makes it a little tougher, too.
“But it’s a good opportunity for me and my family professionally. I’m just proud of these dudes for letting me go on this last ride with them.”
