3 Caston hurlers combine on 3-hitter, lead Caston to sectional semis

Howard, Mollenkopf brothers all have multihit games

BY VAL TSOUTSOURIS

Sports Editor, RTC

Baseball

Gavin Mollenkopf Carson Harness Brodie Howard

Caston 6, South Newton 1 (Thursday): Brodie Howard had three hits and an RBI, and leadoff hitter Logan Mollenkopf reached base four times on a single, a double and two walks as the Caston baseball team eliminated South Newton from Class 1A, Sectional 50 for the second straight year Thursday.

Gavin Mollenkopf also had two hits, and London Herd and Tucker Woolever had one hit each. 

Howard, Woolever and Logan Mollenkopf had one RBI each.

South Newton pitchers walked seven, hit two batters and threw six wild pitches. South Newton also committed two errors that led to one unearned run.

Meanwhile, three Caston pitchers came within two outs of a combined no-hitter.

Logan Mollenkopf started with two hitless innings, and Carson Harness followed with three hitless innings. Logan Mollenkopf walked three and struck out four while Harness walked one, hit a batter and struck out eight.

Howard pitched a perfect sixth and retired the leadoff batter in the seventh before Jaxon Hughes singled.

Howard pitched the final two innings, allowing three hits and a run in the seventh. He walked one and struck out three, including Thomas Applegate and Landon Corbett with the bases loaded to end the game.

Caston, ranked No. 5, improved to 19-5 and will play host Tri-County at Remington Park at approximately 1 p.m. today in the second semifinal. Logan Mollenkopf (42 pitches), Harness (39) and Howard (42) all threw fewer than 60 pitches, which means they will be eligible to pitch today.

North White will meet West Central in the first semifinal at 11 a.m.

Tri-County beat North Newton 16-6 in five innings in their quarterfinal. Tri-County knocked off Caston 4-0 in last year’s sectional final at Caston.

Caston 6, South Newton 1

Caston 000 240 0 – 6 9 1

South Newton 000 000 1 – 1 3 2

WP – Carson Harness (3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 HBP, 8 K)

LP – Luttrell (4 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 6 BB, 1 HBP, 2 K)

2B – Logan Mollenkopf (CAS)