2023 Class 6 District 6 baseball tournament bracket, seeds, information

5/15/2023 10:24:00 AM

Updated Wednesday, May 16, at 12:40 p.m.

The 2023 Class 6 District 6 baseball tournament, hosted by Republic High School, bracket and seeds have been released.

Quarterfinals begin on Tuesday, May 16 and will be played at US Ballpark, followed by semifinals on May 17, and the district championship on May 19.

Nixa (28-6) has received the No. 2 seed and is slated to face No. 7 Central (Springfield) (8-15) at 4 p.m. The two teams have yet to match up this season, but Nixa and Central clashed in the same postseason quarterfinal game a year ago, and the Eagles ousted the Bulldogs 12-2.

Seeds in the bracket from top to bottom are as followed: Republic, Nixa, Ozark, Kickapoo, Neosho, Joplin, Central (Springfield), and Carthage.

Within the district, Nixa finished 6-1 in the regular season against the tournament field. Wins came against Neosho (7-4, 6-1), Ozark (6-0), Joplin (13-5), Carthage (15-1), and Kickapoo (8-0). The Eagles lone defeat was to Republic (7-2).

To view the full bracket, click here.

Quarterfinal Recap:

Nixa needed just five innings to advance to the semifinals, as the Eagles coasted to a mercy-rule 14-1 defeat of the Bulldogs. The Eagles plated six runs in the opening with RBI singles from Caeden Cloud and Jack Edwards. Then, Tanner Grant broke the game wide open with a three-run homer over the left-field fence, extending Nixa's lead to 6-0. Nixa scored an additional three runs in the second and third innings, including a Rylan Michel two-run homer in the third. The Eagles scored its final two runs of the game in the fourth with an RBI single from Wyatt Vincent and a Bulldogs walk with the bases loaded.

The quarterfinal win sets up a showdown with cross-town rival Ozark for a berth in the title game. Nixa won the regular-season matchup 6-0. The winner awaits either Republic or Kickapoo.

Semifinal Recap:

Nixa ousted its rival Ozark 5-1 in the semifinals, behind the arm of starting pitcher Jackson Gamble, who tossed a complete game with seven strikeouts and allowed six hits and one earned run.

The Eagles struck first in the opening inning. Wyatt Vincent and Caeden Cloud both singled to place runners at second and third, and Jack Edwards scored Vincent on a sacrifice fly to center, putting the Eagles up 1-0.

After the first inning, both pitchers found their rhythm and kept the opposition off the scoreboard for the next two innings. Nixa extended its lead to 2-0 in the fourth, as Reese Dirnberger singled to kick off the inning and Tanner Grant scored Dirnberger with a line drive single up the middle.

In the sixth, Ozark plated its only run of the game on a passed ball by Gamble. Nixa struck back the proceeding half inning and scored three big insurance runs, due to defensive miscues and two hit batters by the Tigers. With the bases loaded, Mason Eagleburger was hit by a pitch, allowing Dirnberger, who walked earlier in the inning, to cross the plate. An error by the Tiger's center fielder on a Vincent fly ball allowed Grant to score, and Rylan Michel drove in the game's final run with an RBI single to center.

Ozark threatened in the seventh, though. The Tigers loaded the bases with one out, but Gamble came up huge, striking out the next two Ozark batters and advancing the Eagles to the title game against Republic, who won its semifinal 3-2 vs. Kickapoo.

Championship Recap:

Nixa defeated Republic 6-2 to claim its first district title since 2016. The Eagles jumped on the board first in the opening inning and took a 2-0 lead with RBI sacrifice flies from Jack Edwards and Tanner Grant. Republic tied the game at 2-2 in the bottom of the second, and then the game went scoreless until the final inning. Edwards delivered again with runners in scoring position. He ripped an 2-run single between third and short to give Nixa the 4-2 advantage. Grant and Reese Dirnberger added two additional runs with RBIs of their own, giving the Eagles a four-run cushion. Colin Kelley shutdown the Tigers in the seventh, and the Eagles were victorious 6-2.

Click here to view the final out.

Click here to recap the game and view game photos and video highlights.

The win advances Nixa to the Class 6 state quarterfinals where the Eagles will face Blue Springs on Saturday, May 27, at 1 p.m., at Blue Springs High School.

Click here for all state information.

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