By TOMMY REZAC
St. Joseph Post
GOWER - East Buchanan got tested in a way Tuesday that they haven't been tested much this season.
The Bulldogs, who outscored their first six opponents by a combined 67-8 margin, got down 2-0 in the top of the first inning.
East Buchanan (7-0) had the answer. Sophomore Trevor Klein led off the bottom of the first with a walk, and senior Conner Musser promptly scored him on a two-run homer down the left field line.
The Bulldogs scored three more runs in the second, and that's all they'd need in a 5-2 victory over their rival Mid-Buchanan in Gower on a soggy Tuesday afternoon.
Musser, who surrendered only three total hits after the first inning, and only four total hits on the day, struck out eight batters and kept the Dragons scoreless for the game's final six innings.
"Conner threw a great game today in these elements," East Buchanan coach Dave Elms said. "It was starting to pick up a bit with the wind and the mist and the rain. Field started to get a little slick, but he did a great job of controlling the strike zone. I think he commanded the zone from the very first pitch of the first inning."
After hitting one batter and walking another in the first inning, Musser issued no free passes in innings 2-6, and the Bulldogs played error-free in the field behind him.
"We're pretty fundamentally sound," Musser said. "I feel like we all build off of each other and we all trust each other. That's what you can do when you play as a team."
East Buchanan, who had scored 10 or more runs in each of their last five games leading into Tuesday, was held to just five hits against Mid-Buchanan, but the Dragons (2-2) had little counter offensively.
In fact, Musser and the Bulldog defense retired 13 of the last 14 Mid-Buchanan batters.
"I feel like I get better as the game goes on most of the time," Musser said. "Defense was playing good behind me, and I knew I could do it with how good we've been playing recently."
Junior Derek Sprague started and took the loss on the mound for Mid-Buchanan, as he surrendered five total runs, four earned, in three innings pitched.
Junior relievers Zach Kelley and Denton Biller combined to pitch three innings of scoreless relief, including five strikeouts.
Offensively, Klein doubled, walked twice and scored twice to lead East Buchanan.
Hopes were high for the Bulldogs when the season began, as the Class 2 state runner-ups in 2021 returned the bulk of their lineup and pitching from last season.
They've lived up to the hype so far, as East Buchanan has rocketed their way to a 7-0 start and now boast the best record in the KCI Conference and the best record in Class 2 District 15.
"These kids are now older and stronger," Elms said. "They've been through it before. They're stepping up right where those kids left off from last year. So, we lost some starters, but I also think we had some starters come back who are playing important roles for us."
East Buchanan travels to Plattsburg Thursday. Mid-Buchanan goes to Pembroke Hill Wednesday.
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