Pitching, defense shine as Pirates clinch North Central Missouri Conference title

HANNIBAL, Mo. — Kane Wilson’s diving stop in the fifth inning of the Hannibal baseball team’s 3-0 victory over Mexico at the Veterans Sports Complex on Monday did not result in an out, but the Pirates shortstop made arguably the most important play of the game.

With a runner on second, no outs and the Pirates leading 1-0, Bulldogs right fielder Tyson Carr hit a sharp ground ball to Wilson’s left. The shortstop dove, got his glove on the ball and kept it in front of him, preventing Kaden Benne from having a chance to score from second.

Carr stole second on Colton Dryden’s first pitch to Drew Demint, setting up runners on second and third with no outs. Dryden subsequently struck out Demint, caught a popped up bunt attempt by Brady Fox, and induced a Jaydon Eldridge ground out to third to end the inning.

Wilson said he wished he could have completed that diving play and made an out, but he could feel the momentum shift as the inning progressed.

“It would have been better if I had actually made the play, but keeping it out of the outfield and keeping everybody where they were, it’s a good feeling for me, and I know it’s a good feeling for the pitcher,” he said. “Anytime somebody makes a play like that it’s a relief for the pitcher, and they know they can just stay out there and keep pitching.”

Dryden compared the feeling of escaping this jam to a classroom accomplishment.

“It’s kind of like acing a test without studying,” he said.

Dryden aced this test and every other one he took on Monday. He tossed a complete game five-hit shutout while striking out four and walking none. This is Dryden’s second win against Mexico this season. He went 6 ⅓ innings, did not give up an earned run and struck out seven in a 3-2 Hannibal win on March 28.

Pirates coach Ian Hatton said while teams tend to have more success after already having seen a pitcher, he has the utmost trust in Dryden. 

“The way he controlled the game from start to finish, threw strikes early, kept them off balance, that helped our defense behind him to make plays,” Hatton said. “I’m proud of him and the work he’s put in.”

The Pirates got two insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth on a Ryan Ross RBI single to left center that drove in Wilson, and an Alex Arthaud RBI single to right field that allowed Ross to cross the plate. Ross said in tight games like this one, any extra runs that pad the lead are paramount.

“Going into that seventh inning in Colton’s shoes, it’s a totally different ballgame if it’s 1-0 or 3-0,” Ross said. “We really took any momentum they had away from them.”

This win helped the Pirates (14-12, 8-2 NCMC) clinch their second NCMC title in the last three seasons. Prior to 2022, Hannibal had won only one conference championship — in 1987. Hatton said the Pirates baseball program has set a new standard of excellence.

“I think this is the expectation,” he said. “This is where we want to be. This is what we play for. This is what we prepare for. It feels good to be back on top, and it feels good to know that our guys earned that.”