Republic baseball tops 2018 win total last week

 Republic moved above the .500 mark at the latest point in the season since 2015, beating Hillcrest 7-3 Friday. Clayton Crowley had two hits, including a two-run triple; and Kyle Hill added two hits and two runs scored for the Tigers, who improved to 10-9.
Tyler Cavener started on the mound and picked up the win. He worked 4 2/3 innings, allowing three runs (none earned) on three hits. He struck out five and walked six. Nick Rose finished the game in relief,
working 2 1/3 scoreless innings. He allowed three hits, didn’t walk a batter, and struck out four.
Republic’s 10th win of the season pushes them past their win total all last season, when they won nine. The last time Republic had more wins than losses this late in the season was four years ago, when they finished with a 13-10 record.
In addition to Crowley and Hill, Jared Hughes had a big game at the plate, driving in two runs with a double. He also reached on a walk.
Cavener was 1-for-4 with two runs scored.
Earlier in the week, Re- public won a marathon game against Joplin in 10 innings. The winning run scored on a bases-loaded walk to Nick Rose in the bottom of the tenth.
Republic had jumped ahead 2-0 with single tal- lies in the first and second innings. But Joplin scored four runs in the top of the sixth against starter Jared Hughes, who had otherwise pitched well.
The Tigers tied the game
in the bottom of the sixth on a two-run double by Ryker Harrington. From that point on, Republic relief pitchers Evan Smith and Vincent Pyeatt shut out Joplin, al- lowing just four hits over 3 2/3 innings.
“Jared pitched really, re- ally well, and he kind of had a rough ending...but he was really good,” said coach Curt Plotner. “Then those guys were outstanding behind him, so they kept us in the game and gave us an oppor- tunity to win, and we were able to take advantage of it.”