Maryville baseball awaits conference home games

WESLEY MILLER Sports Editor | @wesleymiller360

Maryville baseball entered the Pony Express Tournament with a four-game win streak, capitalized by an 8-4 win over Lafayette-St. Joseph in the team’s first night game of the season.

However, within the first two games of the tournament, the Spoofhounds lost back-to-back contests — to Smithville April 17 and St. Joseph-Benton April 18 — for the first time this season. Coach Hans Plackemeier said while he doesn’t like to lose, sometimes it’s what the team needs.

“These are great lesson games because we did not play close to our best baseball, and we were in both games — they were both class games,” Plackemeier said. “We didn’t play close to our best baseball, and we’re still right there, hanging around.”

Smithville (11-7) scored three runs between the fifth and sixth innings to defeat Maryville (11-4) 3-0. Sophomore infielder Canon Creason knocked in the Spoofhounds’ lone hit of the game. Senior infielder Blake Katen and sophomore outfielder Peyton McCollum fulfilled the pitching duties for Maryville. They combined for five strikeouts and allowed six hits altogether.

The Spoofhounds were tied 2-2 with Benton (8-7) at the top of the fifth inning until the Cardinals scored two runs in the bottom of the fifth en route to the 4-2 loss for Maryville. Senior infielder Cooper Loe was on the mound for the Spoofhounds, totaling three strikeouts and allowing seven hits through five innings.

“I just think that if we’re going to want to go as far as we want to, then that’s just something that we’re going to have to get past and move on from,” Loe said about the losses. “I think that we’re a lot better team than we’ve played the last few games, and I just think if we want to keep improving, we’re gonna just have to forget those, keep working on the little things and move on.”

As the season progresses, athletes have time to create connections with their teammates and develop trust within the team. In losses, sometimes trust can especially be broken.

Loe, in his final season with the Spoofhounds, said the team can’t lose trust with eight competitions until the Class 4 District 16 Tournament May 13-18. Plackemeier has guided the program since summer 2020 and said camaraderie is important to being successful.

“I just think that trust comes over time — just kind of with your buddies — I mean, on and off the field, just kind of having each other’s backs and kind of creating those relationships and being around each other every day,” Loe said.

Maryville finishes the Pony Express Tournament against Guadalupe Centers Charter (2-8) April 19. The Aztecs lost their first game of the tournament 20-3 to Chillicothe (67) April 17, and they lost their second contest 15-0 to Lincoln College Prep (7-6-1).

After the tournament, the Spoofhounds host two of only three opponents to defeat them this season — Benton at 4:30 p.m. April 24 and Savannah (117) at 6 p.m. April 26.

The loss to the Cardinals in the tournament was Maryville’s second loss of the season to its St. Joseph foe, as Benton also won 7-1 March 27. The Spoofhounds evened the season series with the Savages after a 7-3 win April 11. In the first meeting, Savannah triumphed 11-1 April 4.

As the season nears its end, so does the academic year for school. With the tournaments

Up Next

Pony Express Tournament April 17-22

St. Joseph, Missouri

MHS vs. St. Joseph-Benton 4:30 p.m. April 24

Maryville High School

MHS vs. Savannah 6 p.m. April 26

Maryville High School and games in back-to-back days, Plackemeier and Loe said it can be a challenge to stay fresh.

“I mean, these days are definitely long,” Loe said. “It’s great for getting more experience playing the game and being out there on the field with some of your buddies, but I just think that rest is going to be important for everyone and especially after this next game.”