Merchants top Cassville Post 118 to capture district championship It’s been six seasons since the Merchants captured a district championship. The wait is over. The Merchants had limited — if any — problem taking care of Cassville Post 118 on Thursday. Cassville, which beat Neosho in the afternoon tilt to advance to the district championship, ran out of gas in the nightcap as Carthage won by run-rule, 18-6, to claim the American Legion District 15 championship. “Toward the middle of the game we started hitting and never looked back from there,” said left fielder Dalton Cossey. Cossey, Stephen Poston and Kyle Wicklund helped charge the Merchants’ offense. The trio, combined, hit four home runs — two by Wicklund. Wicklund’s second blast — a walk-off shot that sailed over the right-center field fence, ended the game in the eighth inning. Cossey went five-for-five with two RBIs at the top of the Merchants’ order. Cossey hit his second homer in as many days in the sixth. The Merchants hit seven home runs in two games against Cassville, and scored 64 runs in four district tournament games. “We had moments of greatness throughout the year, and we knew the level we could play at, we just had to get everyone on the same page,” said coach James Kinder. “The kids have come together and jelled as a team.” Carthage’s offensive assault, which collected 19 hits, battered three different Post 118 pitchers. The jubilant Merchants greeted Wicklund, ...
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Merchants top Cassville Post 118 to capture district championship It’s been six seasons since the Merchants captured a district championship. The wait is over. The Merchants had limited — if any — problem taking care of Cassville Post 118 on Thursday. Cassville, which beat Neosho in the afternoon tilt to advance to the district championship, ran out of gas in the nightcap as Carthage won by run-rule, 18-6, to claim the American Legion District 15 championship. “Toward the middle of the game we started hitting and never looked back from there,” said left fielder Dalton Cossey. Cossey, Stephen Poston and Kyle Wicklund helped charge the Merchants’ offense. The trio, combined, hit four home runs — two by Wicklund. Wicklund’s second blast — a walk-off shot that sailed over the right-center field fence, ended the game in the eighth inning. Cossey went five-for-five with two RBIs at the top of the Merchants’ order. Cossey hit his second homer in as many days in the sixth. The Merchants hit seven home runs in two games against Cassville, and scored 64 runs in four district tournament games. “We had moments of greatness throughout the year, and we knew the level we could play at, we just had to get everyone on the same page,” said coach James Kinder. “The kids have come together and jelled as a team.” Carthage’s offensive assault, which collected 19 hits, battered three different Post 118 pitchers. The jubilant Merchants greeted Wicklund, ...