You would think that adrenaline would come into play for a pitcher facing his team's biggest rival.

That was definitely the case for Eric Dodd Wednesday afternoon.

Karns City's senior overcame a rocky start to shut out Moniteau on just one hit over the final six innings in the Gremlins' 4-3 baseball victory at Kelly Automotive Park.

The Warriors roughed up Dodd in the first inning as Wyatt Geibel, Nathan Sosigian and Josh Adamson each had an RBI-single.

But Moniteau's next hit, its final one of the game, did not come until Hunter Fitzingo's single in the fifth. Dodd also hit Jared Lominski with a pitch in that frame, but stranded runners at second and third to keep the game tied at 3-3.

“He was getting us with a lot of outside stuff,” said losing pitcher Chance Nagy. “He pitched well.”

Dodd worked perfect sixth and seventh innings to close the game after 101 pitches.

“This game was so big, I didn't even notice being tired. I felt as good in the seventh as I did throwing my warmup pitches before the game,” Dodd said.

“They (Warriors) couldn't get on top of what I was trying to do.”

“Eric regrouped after that first inning,” said KC coach Dave McElroy. “He had a really good mix of pitches and started working ahead against a lot of the hitters. You get up 0-2 or 1-2, that's a big disadvantage for the hitter.”

Karns City's victory avenges a 5-4 loss to Moniteau last month and snaps the Warriors' six-game winning streak.

The Gremlins (10-5, 9-3) scored the deciding run in the top of the sixth off of Nagy.

Jace Ebbitt drew a one-out walk, moved to second base on a wild pitch and to third on Jacob King's infield single. With Jimmy Thompson at the plate, Ebbitt raced home following a passed ball.

It was the only run allowed by Nagy, who struck out two and walked two while allowing just two hits in four innings. He relieved Jake Jewart at the beginning of the fourth frame.

“There were a few pitches that I over-threw,” said Nagy, “but overall, I thought I was locating my pitches well.”

The brunt of Karns City's offense came in the first two innings against Jewart.

Stephen O'Donnell opened the game with a double and later scored on Jake Weckerly's single.

In the second inning, King and Thompson smacked back-to-back singles with one out. Both advanced on O'Donnell's ground-out and scored courtesy of Tyler Yough's base hit.

A four-game losing streak had sunk the Gremlins to below .500 in mid-April, but McElroy's team has now won eight of its last nine games.

The rubber match against Moniteau (13-4, 11-2) will come in the District 9 title game later this month. The Gremlins and Warriors are the only two Class AAA teams in the entire district.

“(The series) is 1-1 now,” Dodd said. “We've had things that worked for us and things that didn't. We have to focus on what we need to do to win that third game.”

Moniteau coach Ross Martin declined comment following the game.

Karns City 120 001 0 — 4 8 2

Moniteau 300 000 0 — 3 4 0

W: Eric Dodd 7 IP (4K, 1BB). L: Chance Nagy 4 IP (2K, 2BB).

Karns City (10-5, 9-3): Stephen O'Donnell 2B R, Tyler Yough 1B 2RBI, Cullen Williams 1B, Jake Weckerly 1B RBI, Jace Ebbitt 1B R, Jacob King 2-1B R, Jimmy Thompson 1B R

Moniteau (13-4, 11-2): Hunter Fitzingo 1B, Jared Lominski R, Nick Sosigian R, Wyatt Geibel 1B RBI, Nathan Sosigian 1B RBI, Josh Adamson 1B RBI, Lee DeMatteis R

Friday: Karns City at Brockway

Monday: Moniteau at Redbank Valley