By ALEX AGUEROS
(WARRENSBURG, Mo., digitalBURG) — The Post 131 Warrensburg Isotopes, fresh off claiming a tournament championship in Harrison, Ark. , blew past the Harrisonville Moose on Thursday.
Carried by an aggressive offense and strong pitching performances, Post 131 mercy-ruled Harrisonville in both games of a double header – 12-2 in game one, and 11-1 in game two.
Jaxon Janvrin started game one for Warrensburg, and his control faltered, walking Harrisonville’s first three batters. Two sacrifice flies scored Harrisonville’s lone two runs. Janvrin found his rhythm and finished the game, allowing five walks and four hits in six innings.
While Warrensburg’s bullpen was busy in the first inning, head coach Jim Sales stuck with his starter and was rewarded with five scoreless innings.
“Jaxon took a while to find the zone,” Sales said. “I left him in a little bit longer once he found his groove.”
Post 131 put a run on the board after Caleb Carr scored on a Chase Leavy groundout. Carr reached base on a dropped third strike, a pattern the Isotopes would repeat.
Harrisonville led Warrensburg by a score of 2-1 entering the bottom of the fifth. Brad Cox leading off the inning, reached base on a dropped third strike of his own. With the leadoff man on, Warrensburg’s bats finally arrived. The offense erupted for six runs in the fifth inning, wrestling the lead away from Harrisonville and wearing out four separate pitchers in the process. After five innings, Post 131 led 7-2.
Warrensburg picked up where they left off in the sixth inning, piling on five more runs. Caleb Carr hit an RBI single which forced the mercy rule and secured an Isotope victory.
Despite mercy-ruling Harrisonville, coach Sales hopes to eliminate long stretches of innings without runs.
“I didn’t like the slow start,” Sales said. “We want to put the ball in play and force the game on them.”
Warrensburg would have no slow start in game two as the Isotopes posted six runs in the first inning. Brad Cox and Kye Denker delivered the biggest hits of the inning, driving in four runs on their own.
Lauden Wheeler started the game pitching for Warrensburg, and allowed one run in his three innings.
“I always try to hit my spots and let the defense work,” Wheeler said. “I had to keep them off guard with my curveball.”
Wheeler also had a big game at the plate, going 2-2 with two doubles and two walks. He scored on three of his four plate attempts, and perhaps would have scored again, but Brad Cox’s RBI single in the fifth inning ended the game by mercy rule with Wheeler on second.
During Warrensburg’s offensive lashing in game two, the Isotopes scored 11 runs on seven walks and nine hits. All but two Isotope batters scored.
“For games like this, I tell my guys it’s about us, not them, and what we do on the field,” Sales said. “We just try to get better at everything we do.”
The Isotopes are now 4-1 and travel to Chillhowee, Mo., next week to face off in a double header. First pitch is set for 6 p.m.