SPORTS
Nocona baseball shakes off spring break rust with final two pre-district outings
The Nocona Indians baseball team played its final two pre-district games last week with a home game against Venus on Friday and a road game at Celeste on Saturday.
The Indians did not come out on the right foot in either game, but while one game was ugly for Nocona, the other showed the competitive spirit they are capable of playing.
The first game got off to a bad start and never got better against Venus. The Bulldogs leadoff batter got on base thanks to a fielding error, something that would happen 10 more times throughout the game.
Venus went up 3-1 after the first inning. The Indians were able to score one run when Anthony Veitenheimer, who led off with a walk, was able to score thanks to an error at third base.
While Nocona avoided giving up the big inning, the Indians could not keep the Bulldogs off the scoreboard in every inning. Three runs were scored in each of the first four innings.
Nocona scored once more in the third inning thanks to Jason Sparkman driving in a run with a ground out with the bases loaded with one out. The rest of the day the offense struggled, getting only two hits while striking out 11 times and six total base runners for the game.
The game ended after five innings due to run rule as Venus won 13-2. Coach Jeremy Kirk said it was a case of the “Spring Break Hangover” for his team following a week of since their last game.
Only three of the runs were earned by the pitchers, who allowed seven hits and one walk.
The Indians could only play better as they traveled to Celeste on Saturday. Nocona started the game off strong. Logan Barnes drove in a run with a one out double to right field.
After a walk and a double steal put two base runners in scoring position, Veitenheimer hit a ground ball to third base. The Blue Devils committed an error that allowed both base runners to score on the play. The Indians were up 3-0.
Both teams traded scoreless innings in the second and third inning. In the fourth inning, Celeste was able to take the lead as Nocona had a rough stretch. Thanks to two hits, two walks and back-to-back errors, the Blue Devils led 5-3 heading into the fifth inning.
The Indians answered in the fifth. Three hits loaded the bases with one out. Next batter Carlos Castro then drove in a run with a single to left field. Duece Glasker followed with another line drive, this one to right field that scored the other two base runners. Nocona led 6-5.
The Blue Devils would not let the lead last for long. They retook it 7-6 with a sacrifice fly and an RBI single as the game moved to the sixth inning.
Celeste extended its lead. With two outs, the Indians walked three straight batters to load the bases. The next batter drove in two more runs with a single to go up 9-6.
Despite a leadoff walk, Nocona could not get any offense going in the seventh as the game ended in defeat.
To read the full story, pick up a copy of the mid-week edition of the Bowie News.
Bowie softball had a historic season, where the squad made the postseason for the first time since 2019 and knocked a top seed from the playoffs, come to an end April 29.
No-4 ranked Tuscola Jim Ned got out to a quick start and took an 11-1, five inning win in the area round of the Class 3A Division I playoffs. Bowie had its season end at 19-15.
With a large crowd at Weatherford High rooting them on, Bowie took the field looking to knock out another top seed, as they did with Early last week.
For further details, pick up a copy of Thursday’s Bowie News.
Bowie will have two track athletes at the State track and field meet May 14 with top two finishes at the Region 1-3A track meet at Abilene Christian University May 1-2.
Tyler Richey finished 2nd in the pole vault with a 15’ leap. Richey was also 9th in the 110-meter hurdles with a time of 15.39. Sophomore Braden Willett was 3rd in the 1,600-meters with a school record best of time of 4:21.93. Willett was 4th in the 3,200-meter run with a time of 9:29.71.
Several other Rabbits and Lady Rabbits competed at the regional meet. The 800-meter relay foursome of Colton Dosch, Richey, Finn Riddle and Jaxon White finished 6th with a time of 1:30.24 while the 1,600-meter relay team of Dosch, Judah Livsey, Riddle and Blaine Leonard finished 8th with a time of 3:30.76.
For further details, pick up a copy of Thursday’s Bowie News.
Saint Jo’s boys and girls track teams took top honors at the Region III-A track meet at Hewitt Midway High School May 1-2 and will send several athletes to the state track and field meet May 16 in Austin.
The boys were led by Damon Byrd who won both the long jump with a 22’9 ¾” leap and triple jump with a 45’ 10 ½”. Byrd also won the 100-meter dash with a time of 1.03 and was a member of the victorious 800-meter relay along with Trent Gaston, Barrett Johnson and Lee Yeley with a time of 1:30.80.
Yeley won the high jump with a 6’ leap. Byrd, Yeley, Dominic Luna and Gaston combined for a 2nd-place finish in the 1,600-meter relay with a time 3:32.81. Gaston was 2nd in the 110-meter hurdles with a tie of 16.09. Johnson was 2nd in the 400-meter dash in 50.75, Ayden Giambruno was 6th in the 3200-meter run in 11:05.24 with Yeley 8th in the 200-meters with a time of 25.61.
For further details, pick up a copy of Thursday’s Bowie News.
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