Some may have expected Moniteau to go quietly in its last at-bat, but not the Warriors themselves.

Trailing rival Karns City by two runs entering the top of the seventh inning, Moniteau scored four times and remained undefeated in conference play with a 4-2 baseball victory Thursday evening at Kelly Automotive Park.

Through the first six innings, the Warriors (7-2, 7-0) had been shut out on four hits by Gremlins' ace Tyler Kepple.

“Our bats have come alive late in games all year,” said Moniteau's Derek Boben, who earned the win after striking out four and walking two in a complete game. “We just needed to get that big hit.”

Actually, the Warriors got a pair of them in the seventh.

With one out and two runners on — Josh McBride reached on an infield single and Kaleb Eshenbaugh on a fielding error — Colton Cumberland laced a single to left to make the score 2-1. After another fielding error allowed Boben to reach base, Nathan Hoshak singled home courtesy runner Josh Adamson to tie the game.

“We all came together before (the top of the seventh) and said, 'Let's get some hits,'” said Cumberland. “We stole the tempo and once we did, Karns City started booting balls. We just kept putting the ball in play.”

Even after Moniteau's three hits in the inning had come and gone, the Warriors were not through scoring runs. Cumberland scored the go-ahead run on Aaron Marterella's groundout and Corey Powell came home on a wild pitch.

“We didn't keep things up at the end,” said KC coach Randy Collins. “I told the guys that it was a combination of things, but we beat ourselves.”

Boben allowed a leadoff base hit to Holden Martin in the bottom of the seventh, but struck out Tyler Dunn and got Nathan Weckerly to ground into a 6-4-3 double play that ended the game.

Kepple took the loss, allowing the four unearned runs while striking out two and walking none. He retired the Warriors in order in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings. Of the nine outs in that span, seven were groundouts.

“Tyler gets a lot of outs for us and he pitched a gem,” said Collins of his senior right-hander. “You can't ask for any more than that. He just ended up on the wrong side today.”

Kepple was given an early lead after Matt Yough delivered an RBI-double and Zach Moore a run-scoring single in the bottom of the first for the Gremlins (5-2).

Boben, though, would allow just three more hits the rest of the way. He allowed the two runs on six hits and retired 12 of the last 15 batters he faced.

“We were a bit too-hyped before the game and didn't play that well at the start,” he said. “We needed to settle down. Once I got going, I was spotting my fastball really well.

“We're on a high right now and we just need to keep it going.”

Moniteau coach Ross Martin declined comment.

Moniteau 000 000 4 — 4 7 1

Karns City 200 000 0 — 2 6 3

W: Derek Boben 7IP (4K, 2BB). L: Tyler Kepple 7IP (2K, 0BB).

Moniteau (7-2, 7-0): Cody Skiver 1B, Austin Blauser 1B, Josh McBride 1B R, Jake McBride 1B, Colton Cumberland 1B R RBI, Nathan Hoshak 1B RBI, Aaron Marterella 1B RBI, Josh Adamson R, Corey Powell R

Karns City (5-2): Nathan Weckerly 1B, Tyler Kepple 1B R, Matt Yough 2B R RBI, Zach Moore 1B RBI, Mike Riley 1B, Holden Martin 1B

Today: Karns City at A-C Valley

Tuesday: Union at Moniteau