Connect with us

SPORTS

A bad late inning loses Saint Jo the game as their season ends

Published

on

After an unprecedented ride this season brought the program success greater than they have enjoyed in decades, the Saint Jo baseball team’s season came to an end on Saturday in the regional semifinals against Dodd City.
After losing game one on Thursday, the Panthers lost game two on Saturday 20-8 due to run rule after five innings to lose the series.
Despite the lopsided final score, the game was much closer up until the final inning.
The Hornets came out ready to score runs in the top of the first. Two walks and a single loaded the bases with no outs.
A single scored one run and a double cleared the bases to put Dodd City up 4-0. Pitcher Brock Durham calmed down and was able to hold the runner at second by forcing three straight outs to get out of the top of the first inning.
Saint Jo responded in the bottom of the first. Leadoff Harper Roberts was able to get on base when the third baseman could not make the throw to first. Roberts then was able to advance to second on a bad pickoff attempt. He advanced to third on a ground out two batters later.
Jake Morris was able to drive Roberts home with a triple to center field. Next batter Durham was able to get Morris home when the ground ball hit to the third basemen was bobbled before his throw to first was too late. The Panthers trailed 4-2 heading to the second inning when the next batter struck out.
A leadoff walk came back to bite Saint Jo. Durham almost got out of the inning as the next two batters grounded out to first. A stolen base and a ground ball advanced the runner to third base. A passed ball allowed the runner to score and put Dodd City up 5-2.
The next batter hit a triple to center field and looked poised to put another run on the board for the Hornets. Fortunately, Durham was able to force the next batter to fly out to second base to end the scoring chance.
The Panthers Jose “Pepe” Gams was able to get on base as his fly ball to center field could not be gathered by the diving centerfielder. Next batter Preston Lyons was able to draw a walk to put two runners on base with one out.
After grounding into a fielder’s choice made it two outs, Connor Thompson was able to hit a double that drove in the runner on second to cut the lead down to 5-3. With runners on second and third, the Panthers looked poised to score more, but the next batter struck out to end the second inning.
The leadoff batter got hit by a pitch to get on base. He stole second to put himself in scoring position. Two batters later, a double drove in the runner. The next batter grounded out to second base, allowing the runner to advance to third with two outs.
A single drove in the runner to put Dodd City up 7-3. Back-to-back walks loaded the bases, but Durham was able to force the next batter to ground out to third to get out of the jam.
The Panthers answered a little bit as Morris led off with a double to left field. A bad pickoff throw to second allowed him to advance to third base. Next batter Durham grounded out to second base, but it allowed Morris to score and cut the lead to 7-4 heading into the fourth inning.
Morris came in to pitch in relief. With one out, a bad throw to first allowed a base runner to reach second. A passed ball allowed the runner to reach third.
The next batter was able to hit a bloop single over the infield to score the runner and make it 8-4. A hit batter and a walk loaded the bases with two outs, but Morris was able to strike out the next batter looking to get out of the jam.
Saint Jo scored in every inning up to that point, but needed to string more than a couple runs together to give themselves a chance to win as they had also been unsuccessful in holding the Hornets scoreless in any inning up to that point. The Panthers responded with their best offensive inning of the game.
A leadoff single from Lyons got things going. Roberts then grounded into a fielder’s choice, but the throw was not in time at second base to get Lyons out. Thompson was able drive in Lyons with a line drive single to left field. Runners were on second and first with no outs.
Next batter, Wyatt Guerin, loaded the bases up with a single. Morris came up and grounded out to second base, but it drove in the runner on third base and allowed both runners to advance to second and third.
Durham then grounded to third base, who tried to throw the runner out at home, but the throw was not in time as Thompson scored to cut the lead to 8-7.
Durham was able to steal second to put two runners in scoring position. Next batter, Cody Thurman, grounded out to the short stop for the second out, but it allowed the runner on third to score and tie the game 8-8. It also advanced the other runner to third base.
With their first lead only a base hit and 90 feet away, and with the momentum swung their way, it only seemed logical that it would happen. Unfortunately, their next batter struck out looking to end the inning as the game seemed definitely swung.
Saint Jo had been playing catch up all game and now had firmly caught back up, taking the momentum of the game with them. All they had to do was just hold off Dodd City’s bats for one inning since the Panther’s bats were all charged up.
Unfortunately, the opposite happened. After one out, two hits and an error loaded the bases. Followed by two single hits and two walks, the Hornets scored four runs before a line out was gave Dodd City their second out. Unfortunately, the scoring did not slow down.
A single and a home run scored five more runs. After two more walks, Lyons came in to pitch. After a walk loaded the bases, a passed ball allowed one run to score. A single following that scored two more runs to put the Hornets up 20-8, before Saint Jo could get the final out.
The fans and team were in a tizzy, as a couple calls early in the inning went against the Panthers, exasperating the situation as the inning spiraled out of their control.
Saint Jo needed to score three runs in the bottom of the fifth to keep the game going. Unfortunately, their hot bats from the inning before had no spark as the three batters were sat down in order to end the game, 20-8, and the series.

To read more, pick up a copy of the mid-week edition of the Bowie News.

Continue Reading

SPORTS

Nocona softball wins final game of the season against Alvord

Published

on

The Nocona Lady Indians played their final game of the regular season with a drubbing of Alvord at home.
The Lady Indians won 11-1 after six innings due to run-rule to end their season on a positive note despite no playoffs.
The game was rescheduled from last week due to weather.
Nocona was coming off a tough loss against Muenster the previous game, but knew it had a chance against Alvord after beating the Lady Bulldogs 6-4 in the first game.
The game started slow, but the Lady Indians got the lead with one run in the first inning. Alvord answered with one run in the third inning before Nocona retook the lead and never let it go.
The Lady Indians scored three runs in the third inning, two in the fourth, three in the fifth and the final two in the sixth inning to end the game on Charity Claxton’s sacrifice bunt that scored the last run.
Nocona won 11-1.

Coach Nolan Lanham thought it was the most complete game the team had played all season.
While he is sad this year’s season is complete, he is excited about what the team accomplished this year and what it can build off of it in the coming years.

To read the full story, pick up a copy of the weekend edition of the Bowie News.

Continue Reading

SPORTS

Baseball Roundup

Published

on

Nocona
The Nocona Indians won their first game against Chico on Tuesday night to keep their playoff hopes alive.
The Indians won 9-4 against the Dragons.
Nocona was coming into the game after a close, low-scoring series against Perrin-Whitt that saw the Indians win one game and lose another.
The Indians took an early lead with Brody Langford driving in a run on a single. Chico answered with two runs in the same inning to take back the lead 2-1.
The teams exchanged runs in the next four innings.
Nocona tied the score at 2-2 in the second inning when RJ Walker hit a sacrifice fly ball deep enough to score one run. The Dragons took the back the lead with an RBI double in the third inning to make it 3-2.
The Indians again tied the score in the fourth inning when Langford hit into a fielder’s choice out with the bases loaded. Once again, Chico retook the lead in the fifth inning, also scoring on a fielder’s choice groundout to go up 4-3.
After a scoreless sixth inning, Nocona was down to its final three outs of the game.
With two runners on base and two outs and looking at a full-count, Caden Belcher came through for the Indians with a base hit. It scored the tying run and the second runner was waived home and had a chance to score the game’s winning run. He was just tagged out for out three, but not before Nocona had tied the score at 4-4.
Chico loaded the bases up with one out in the seventh inning, but Wesley Murphey stepped up and struck out the next two batters to get out of the jam scot free and force the game into extra-innings.
Nocona was still reeling from the momentum of the last inning and it came through in the eighth inning.
With two runners on base and two outs, the Indians started a two-out rally with Wesley Murphey hitting a triple that brought both runners home to score.
Langford followed with a single that drove in one run. Following another single, Konnor Harrington hit a single that drove in another run. Following a walk that loaded the bases, a passed ball allowed Nocona to score another run.
The Indians more than doubled their seven inning total, scoring five runs and leading 9-4.
Wesley Murphey and the defense then closed the door, striking out the first batter before inducing groundouts to shortstop and second base for outs two and three to end the game.

Saint Jo
The Saint Jo Panthers played their final regular season series in a double-header on Tuesday against Lindsay.
The bigger Knights won both games by run-rule, 12-2 after six innings and 15-2 after five innings.
Saint Jo had last played a week ago in a double-header against Muenster’s JV and varsity teams. The Panthers competed well with the JV team, but struggled more against the varsity team.
Lindsay had no JV team so Saint Jo had to play the 2A school twice and hoped it could compete.
The Knights got off to a fast start in game one, scoring seven runs in the first inning and never looking back.
The Panther defense played better from then on, never allowing Lindsay to score more than two runs in an inning and even holding the Knights scoreless in two innings.
Saint Jo was able to score in the fifth inning when the team loaded the bases and drew two walks to score two runs.
That was enough to keep the game from ending after five innings, but Lindsay scored two runs in the sixth inning to end the game early with the score 12-2.
The second game saw Lindsay score at least one run in every inning, highlighted by seven in the second inning.
Saint Jo scored two runs in the fourth inning. Charlie Evans hit an RBI double. Later he scored on the base paths after Lindsay failed to prevent a stolen base elsewhere.
The game ended after five innings with the Knights winning 15-2.

Bellevue
The Bellevue Eagles lost its final regular season game against Alvord on Tuesday.
The Bulldogs won 22-0 after four innings due to run-rule.
Bellevue knew it was going to be tough competing against a bigger school, but was hoping to compete.
Unfortunately, the Bulldogs came through and scored 14 runs in the first inning to suck any momentum from the Eagles before they had even had a chance to bat.
Bellevue prevented Alvord from scoring in the second inning, but not the third or fourth innings.
The Eagle bats did not have much luck scoring any runs as the Bulldogs won 22-0 after four innings.
Bryce Ramsey and Blake Reese got the only two hits for Bellevue in the game. Alvord racked up 15 hits, drew nine walks and were hit by five pitches which led to all of the runs.

To read the full story, pick up a copy of the weekend edition of the Bowie News.

Continue Reading

SPORTS

Saint Jo softball beats Perrin-Whitt in the playoffs

Published

on

The Saint Jo Lady Panthers won their one-game playoff game agaisnt Perrin-Whitt on Wednesday 16-1 to continue their season to the area round.

The Saint Jo Lady Panthers won their playoff one-game series against Perrin-Whitt on Wednesday afternoon.
The Lady Panthers stomped the Lady Pirates 16-1 after three innings by run-rule to advance in the playoffs.
Saint Jo was coming into the playoffs after a tough regular season. The Lady Panthers won their first game of the season, but struggled the rest of the way due to injuries, the busyness of spring and because most of their opponents were larger 2A schools.
Finally playing a school their own size while having more than a week from its last game to prepare to get everyone more healthy and focused paid dividends on Wednesday against Perrin-Whitt.
Saint Jo has struggled with its pitching and aspects of its defense, but its ability to score runs when locked in has been documented this year.
In four of its 10 games this season, the team has scored 13 or more runs in high scoring affairs.
Starting out hitting in the top of the first allowed the Lady Panthers to start out strong against the Lady Pirates team that had their own problem with pitching and defense.
Maxey Johnson drove in the team’s first run on a bunt that she somehow stretched into a double. Later she and Jordyn O’Neal would score on wild pitches to put Saint Jo up 3-0.
While the team was hit by two pitches and drew a walk during the inning, a surprising double-play from Perrin-Whitt ended the Lady Panthers scoring start to the game.
Pitcher Johnson has struggled through injuries this season, but started great on the mound. Her first pitch thrown was lined out right to the shortstop for an out. She then struck out the next two batters to keep Saint Jo’s momentum going heading into the second inning which would break the game open.
Nevaeh Spann led off with a single and Tatum Morman followed with a double.
After the next batter loaded the bases up with a drawn walk, the next two batters were hit by pitches while the following drew a walk to drive in three runs.
In between another batter getting hit by a pitch and another drawn walk scoring two more runs were a strikeout and fly out to the pitcher.
Morman was then up again for the second time in the inning and hit a double to left field to drive in two runs. Saint Jo earned one more run in the inning on a wild pitch before a strikeout ended the scoreathon. The Lady Panthers had scored eight runs in the inning and now led 11-0.
The Lady Pirates were able to get some offense going in retaliation. A leadoff walk would come back to bite Saint Jo.
Johnson struck out the next batter and fielded a pop up for out two. After a walk put another baserunner on, a fly ball to center field resulted in an error that allowed one run to score for Perrin-Whitt.
The Lady Panthers put out the fire before it could grow out of control. The next batter hit a groundball that was easily fielded by Johnson who tossed her out at first base.
Up 11-1 entering the third inning, Saint Jo hitters were getting inpatient just sitting idly by for good pitches to it after drawing so many walks and being hit by pitches. They started to take more chances and put the ball in play.
Two singles led off the inning for the Lady Panthers. O’Neal then grounded out to third base, but it drove in one run. Aubrey Morman followed with an RBI single.
Following a hit, Saint Jo would draw three walks in a row. However, the Lady Panthers scored three more runs thanks to wild pitches to grow their lead to the limit of the run-rule before a strikeout ended the offensive onslaught.
Heading into the bottom of the third inning and up 16-1, Saint Jo had to not let Perrin-Whitt score at all to end the game early.
The Lady Pirates got their leadoff hitter on base again, this time thanks to an error on a fly ball in the outfield that got the runner on second base.
The baserunner would then successfully steal third base and was in perfect position to score on any contact hit or wild pitch.
Johnson was not fazed and induced a weak pop up to the catcher for out one. Johnson then struck out the next batter four out two.
The final batter then grounded out to second base for out three to end the game.
Saint Jo won 16-1.

To read the full story, pick up a copy of the weekend edition of the Bowie News.

Continue Reading
Ad
Ad
Ad
Ad
Ad

Trending