Both teams will be in the playoffs, however, both ball clubs wanted to save their ace for next Tuesday’s district finale. Friday night the West Orange-Stark Mustangs kept their district record unblemished with a 7-3 win over the Orangefield Bobcats at Paul Cormier Field in Orangefield.
The victory sets up a battle for first place Tuesday in Silsbee between West Orange-Stark (9-0) and the Tigers (8-1). The Mustangs will mostly likely use Jack Dallas to pitch that game.
Likewise, Orangefield (4-5) will be playing for third place in the district. The Bobcats will be back at Paul Cormier Field to face the Bridge City Cardinals (4-5). The winner of that game will take third place the loser will drop to fourth. Ryon Stubblefield is expected to pitch Tuesday night for the Bobcats.
The Mustangs jumped on Orangefield starting pitcher Mason Gonzales for four runs in the first inning. KJ Miller started the rally with a double down the left field line. Jack Dallas bounced a single up the middle to center to drive in Miller. Ryan Ragsdale tripled into the gap in right center field to score Jack and then scored himself when Chad Dallas doubled down the right field line.
Jarron Morris pinch ran for Chad. He went to third on a groundout by Tre Bernard. West Orange-Stark went up 4-0 as Morris scored on a wild pitch.
Orangefield got one back in the bottom of the first. Bret Fregia got an infield single behind the second base bag which Jack Dallas gloved, but threw low to first base allowing Fregia to go to second. Gonzales struck out, but the third strike got away from the catcher Bernard and when Bernard did make a throw to first to try to retire Gonzales the throw was errant ending up in right field. Fregia came around to score for the Bobcats.
The pitchers settled down after that shaky first inning. Gonzales would not allow another hit before he was relieved in the sixth. Chad Dallas would pitch a complete game to earn his fifth win without a loss on the season. Dallas gave up six hits, walked two, and struck out nine in his seven innings.
The sixth saw West Orange-Stark score three more runs on one hit. Chad Dallas walked to start the inning and Morris pinch ran again. Gonzales was replaced on the mound by Johnny Armstrong who unfortunately proved to be his own worst enemy.
Bernard was the first batter Armstrong faced and with a 3-2 count, Bernard popped the ball up in foul territory. Armstrong hustled and had a play, but decided to slide while trying to make the catch and dropped it. The next pitch was ball four putting Bernard on. Ja’Vonn Ross ran for him.
With Te’ron Brown batting both runners moved up a base to third and second with no outs. The Bobcats brought the infield in to try to cut off another run. Brown grounded to the left side and shortstop Ryon Stubblefield threw home forcing Morris to retreat back to third. The throw to third had Morris trapped in a rundown and he decided to sprint for home. The return throw was to Armstrong covering the plate and he dropped it allowing Morris to score with Brown going all the way to second.
With a run in and runners still at second and third Orangefield was forced to keep the infield in. The Mustangs’ Kaleb Ramsey made them pay as he lined a single into shallow right that might have been playable if the second basemen was in his normal position. Ross and Brown scored to up the lead to 7-1. Dylan Anthony came in to pitch and stopped the bleeding.
In the bottom of the sixth Orangefield used two walks and two hits to get two runs to make the score 7-3. Andrew Hoyland and Blake Bradley both had runs batted in for the Bobcats.
With his pitch count almost completed Dallas bore down in the seventh. He retired the Bobcats in order and got the final out on a fly ball to right on what would have been legally his final pitch of the night. -Dan Perrine, KOGT-
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BC defeated Hamshire-Fannett 15-5. Justyn Romero had 4 hits in the game. Cards are 4-5 and Horns 1-8.
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LCM lost to Silsbee in 5innings 12-0. Bears drop to 1-8 and Silsbee is 8-1.
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SOFTBALL
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Deweyville lost to Hull-Daisetta 10-9. The Lady Pirates finish 25-2A in third place.
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LCM beat Silsbee 7-3. Bears finish 8-2 and Silsbee 7-3.
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BC pummeled Hamshire-Fannett 20-0. They finish 9-1 as the district champs and will play at Jasper on Thursday at 6:30pm. Kassidy Wilbur got the win and hit a grand slam. Caitlin Denison added 4 RBI’s in the 3 inning game.
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