Special to the ShowMe Times

CHAFFEE – With the bases loaded, New Madrid County’s shortstop Owen Flowers (from Dexter) earned the game’s first RBI with a squeeze play bunt against the Charleston Squirrels during the first round of the Missouri Senior Babe Ruth State Tournament. During their previous two regular season match-ups, New Madrid County fell to the Squirrels with a combined score of 23-7, but during Thursday’s game, New Madrid found themselves leading through the bottom of the sixth inning.[br
The game entered the fourth inning with both teams scoreless. Squirrels’ pitcher Bobby Clark walked New Madrid’s right fielder Eric Holloway, and then Jansen Darst and Hunter Ivy both sent hits past the infielders for singles. With one out in the fourth inning and bases loaded, Flowers scored Holloway from third with a squeeze bunt that allowed Flowers to earn a base hit and the RBI.

New Madrid’s lead-off batter Chris Pavy then pushed the score to 2-0 on a sacrifice fly. In the bottom of the fourth, Charleston answered with a run.

With a scoreless fifth, the Squirrels rallied a three-run inning in the bottom of the sixth to move ahead of New Madrid County 4-2.

Having to mount a comeback, New Madrid entered the seventh inning with a single into shallow center field by second baseman Mason Kellums. On a fielding error, Cadin Robins earned a single as well. Catcher Ross Carter singled on a fielder’s choice to second that placed Kellums 90-feet from home, and on a sacrifice by Holloway, Kellums scored to bring New Madrid within one run before the game ended on a ground-out back to the pitcher.

New Madrid County’s coach Kevin Lyons told the team after the game, "That's the best ball game we have played all year. We had good defense and had some hits, but we just couldn’t rally long enough to get the go-ahead run in position.”

With the 4-3 loss, New Madrid County will go on to play through the bottom bracket over the weekend as the Senior Babe Ruth State Tournament continues through Monday, July 18th.

Photo Above:Flowers on first base after the squeeze bunt.