The Karns City baseball team has had little need to manufacture runs this season.

The Gremlins entered their regular-season finale against Moniteau averaging a gaudy 11.5 runs per game.

Hits, though, were hard to come by for the club at Pullman Park Thursday against Warriors’ pitcher Trent Young.

Karns City was able to scratch out three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning on a RBI ground out, sacrifice fly and a single — most decidedly “small ball” — on the way to a 4-1 win over Moniteau on senior night for both teams.

“Moniteau came to play ball against us today,” said Karns City coach Randy Collins. “The last couple of games we’ve come out flat. We talked to them about hitting the ball on the ground, hitting line drives and being more selective at the plate.”

Karns City (18-1) did just enough on offense to cap one of the most successful regular seasons in school history.

Senior Nick Ganter started for the Gremlins and overcame a rocky start that included four walks in the first two innings to pitch five scoreless frames.

Ganter left with a 1-0 lead thanks to a leadoff double in the fifth by senior Mike Riley, who later scored on a passed ball.

Moniteau tied the score 1-1 against Matt Yough in the top of the sixth, but the Gremlins got to Young for the three-run rally in the sixth.

Young, a senior right-hander, carried a no-hitter into the fifth inning.

“He pitched excellent,” said Moniteau coach Ross Martin. “It was a warm day. You could tell he tired out a little bit. I thought we could have made a couple more plays to help him out.”

Moniteau (7-9) had opportunities early against a wild Ganter. The Warriors loaded the bases in the second inning with two outs, but Ganter escaped.

Offense has been a problem for the Warriors all season and they managed just four hits against Ganter and Yough.

“We’re getting there,” Martin said. “I think we have to be much more aggressive — too many first-pitch strikes. The boys, they know that. It’s all between the ears now. It’s just a matter of going up there and doing it.”

Yough picked up the win in relief.

“I told him, ‘Make sure you’re ready,’” Collins said. “We were going to go with Nick as long as we could, and I was very happy with the way he performed today.”

These two teams will see each other again next week when the District 9 Class AA playoffs begin — and end.

Karns City and Moniteau are the only two teams in the Class AA bracket.

Two weeks ago, Moniteau was 2-7 and dead in the water. But the Warriors rallied to win five of their next six to get into the playoffs.

“The game of baseball is all about teamwork and doing things together,” Martin said. “Doing the little details, helping each other out and competing. Today is the by-product of that. When guys show up, work for each other and compete, good things happen.

“Early in the season, the way we played, it felt like we didn’t belong on the same field (with Karns City),” Martin added. “Today, I think we proved we belong on the field with them.”

Moniteau 000 001 0 — 1 4 2

Karns City 000 013 x — 4 5 0

W: Matt Yough 2IP (1K, 0BB). L: Trent Young 6IP (5K, 1BB).

Moniteau (7-9): Kaleb Eshenbaugh 2B 1B, Zack Jewart 1B RBI, Zack Adamson 1B

Karns City (18-1): Nathan Weckerly 1B 2-SB, Zach Moore 1B, Yough RBI, Mike Riley 2B RBI, Scott Kiser 1B RBI, Nick Ganter 1B

TBD: Moniteau vs. Karns City in District 9 Class AA playoffs at a site and time TBD