By ALEX AGUEROS
(WARRENSBURG, Mo., digitalBURG) –  After enjoying their bye in the first round of the Class 4 District tournament, the Warrensburg Tigers defeated the Clinton Cardinals 11-7 Monday.
Jaxon Janvrin, junior, was the starting pitcher for Warrensburg, and lasted two innings. Janvrin struggled in the first inning a Clinton batted around on four hits, an error and a walk. The righty limited the damage, however, holding the Cardinals to three runs on a home run from Tylor Hankins.
Warrensburg retaliated in the second inning, when junior Kye Denker laced a two-run double into right field. Denker later scored on an infield single from sophomore Jacob Terry.
Denker, who went 3-4 on the night and scored three times, made some adjustments to his swing in practice this week.
“We switched up my swing yesterday,” Denker said. “I tried to keep my hands back and work the right side of the field.”
The Tigers continued their offensive barrage in the third inning, opening up for seven runs on seven hits and two walks. Senior Brett Marr batted twice in the third, earning a single and a triple and scoring once. Warrensburg looked to be running away with the game, leading the Cardinals 10-3 going into the fourth inning.
Being conference rivals, head coach Dave Liebnitz is familiar with the potential power in Clinton’s lineup.
“We really didn’t give away a whole lot of cheap runs,” Liebnitz said. “When we give those free base runners, they seem to make us pay for it.”
Clinton started a rally in the top of the fourth, after two hits and a walk quickly loaded the bases. The Cardinals’ Lane Miller capped off the rally with a grand slam to deep left center, pushing the score to 10-7. Clinton had willed their way back into the game, but would not score again.
After allowing four runs in as many innings in relief, Liebnitz was pleased with Jordan Carr’s overall performance.
“The inning he gave up the grand slam he was out of the strike zone early, and that’s a recipe for disaster,” Liebnitz said. “Outside of that he pretty much held them in check.”
Warrensburg managed one more run in the fourth, extending the lead to 11-7, where the score stood for the final two innings.
After Clinton’s power bats provided a couple scares, Carr found success with his secondary pitches. The junior compiled three strikeouts and never faced more than four batters after allowing the grand slam.
“My curveball was working well,” Carr said. “I wasn’t in the zone with my fastball, so my off-speed stuff made my fastball better.”
Liebnitz planned on starting Carr in game two Wednesday, but the Cardinals’ offense may have ruined those plans. The Tigers are not worried.
“We’ll worry about Wednesday when we get there,” Liebnitz said.
The Warrensburg Tigers host the Nevada Tigers tomorrow at West Field. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m.