SPORTS
Jackrabbits beat Shallowater to advance to regional final
The Bowie Jackrabbits improbable playoff run continues with another series win against Shallowater clinched on Saturday in the regional semi-finals.
The Jackrabbits came back from losing game one 6-2 to win the final two games of the series 14-7 and 10-1 over a three-day period that also included graduation.
Bowie came into the series as underdogs. The Mustangs were 32-1-1 on their season with some polls placing them as high as 3rd in the state. They had not lost in more than two months and their mostly senior led team was looking forward to a rematch against Brock in the regional finals.
The first two games were played in Amarillo. Game one was played Thursday night.
Carson Sanders got the start on the mound against Shallowater’s ace pitcher. He found himself in trouble in the first inning as two singles and an error at shortstop allowed one run to score.
The Mustangs added to it with a two-out rally in the second inning. Four straight singles scored two runs to make the score 3-0. The Jackrabbits answered in the same inning as Logan Hutson hit a sacrifice fly ball to make it 3-1.
After a 1-2-3 inning from Bowie on defense, the team looked to make a move. The Jackrabbits loaded the bases up with no outs and were in position for a possible big inning that could take control of the game. Unfortunately, the next three batters struck out and Bowie failed to capitalize.
The team felt it in the fourth inning. The Mustangs added one more run on three singles, two of them coming with two outs to make the score 4-1.
In the fifth inning Shallowater’s leadoff got on base thanks to an error and the next batter drew a walk. After both moved into scoring position and with two outs, a single drove them both in to up the lead to 6-1.
Bowie got one of those runs back in the same inning. Jake Fallis drove in a run hitting into a fielder’s choice at second base to cut the lead to 6-2.
The Mustang bats threatened to score more in the final two innings. In both they were able to get two runners on base, but the Jackrabbit defense and relief pitcher Colton Richey held.
Bowie bats had no luck in a quick sixth inning, but did threaten in its final three outs in the seventh inning. Sanders hit a single and Kynan DeMoss drew a walk to put two runners on base with only one out. Later a wild pitch put them both into scoring position.
That would be where they would stay as an infield fly ball and a fly out to right field fell into Shallowater gloves for outs to end the game.
The Mustangs won 6-2.
Bowie had six hits and drew five walks in the game, but the lack of timely hitting and a flawless defensive game from Shallowater led to few runs.
The Jackrabbit defense had two fielding errors that contributed to runs, but the Mustangs also had 11 hits and three walks.
Sanders pitched 4.2 innings and gave up six runs (four earned) on 10 hits while striking out four. Richey pitched 2.1 innings and gave up no runs on one hit and two walks.
It was not the first time Bowie had found itself down after game one this playoff run. Coach Tyler Price said he talked to his team and they agreed that though they hadn’t played well, they had only lost by four runs.
The Jackrabbits had a quick turnaround time as game two started a 10 a.m. the next day on Friday so that they could get back for graduation later that night, win or lose.
Bowie led off the game and immediately took control. Two walks and an error in the first inning showed the Mustangs were not quite as sharp as they had been the previous night.
The Jackrabbits took advantage as Fallis drove in a run with a single. Richey would later hit a sacrifice fly to drive in another run to put them up 2-0.
Kawlyer Swearingin got the start on the mound for Bowie and Shallowater got one of those runs back on a groundout to make it 2-1.
The Jackrabbits loaded up the bases to start the second inning with no outs. Sanders drove one in with a sacrifice fly ball to extend the lead to 3-1.
Bowie’s big offensive inning came in the third. After Richey and Swearingin led off with a double and single, a change at pitcher came from the Mustangs. Later Brody Armstrong drove in one run with a ground out for out two.
The Jackrabbits did a lot before getting their third out. Cade Thompson, DeMoss and Fallis all drove in one run each with singles. Devin Melton followed with a double that drove in two more runs to up the lead to 9-1 before out three came.
The Mustangs were not just going to lay down. A double drove in one run to make it 9-2 and put two runners in scoring position with two outs, but Swearingin limited the damage to one run.
The fourth inning was the first one the Bowie bats failed to score despite getting one hit. Shallowater continued to chip away at the lead, loading the bases with a single, a hit batter and a drawn walk with one out. A single followed that drove in two runs to cut the lead to 9-4.
The Jackrabbit defense then came through with an inning ending double play to get out of the fourth.
Any momentum the Mustangs got from the previous inning went away in the fifth. The Bowie bats came alive again.
Fallis drove in a run with a double. Later with two outs and after a hit batter, Swearingin’s fly ball to right field induced an error that scored two runs. After he stole second base, Swearingin was driven in by next batter Hutson on a single to make the score 13-4.
After a scoreless inning from Shallowater, Bowie added one more to its lead in the sixth inning. Sanders hit a one out triple and was later driven in by DeMoss on a sacrifice fly to extend the lead to 14-4.
The Jackrabbits were three outs away from winning the game via run-rule, but the Mustangs were not going to go down without a fight.
Two straight fielding errors, one in the outfield and one in the infield, started the bottom of the sixth that allowed one Shallowater run.
A walk and two outs later, a single drove in two more runs to cut the lead to 14-7 before out three led to the final inning.
The Jackrabbits had no luck adding to their lead despite getting two runners on base with one out. A leadoff single and later a single with two outs that put runners at the corners for Shallowater was all the Mustangs could manage. In the end, Bowie sealed up the win 14-7 to force a game three.
DeMoss, Fallis and Melton led the team with two RBIs each. The Jackrabbits wracked up 15 hits and drew five walks while taking advantage of five fielding errors from the usually sharp Mustangs.
Swearingin pitched six innings and allowed seven runs (three earned) on 10 hits and three walks while striking out three batters. DeMoss came in to pitch the final inning and gave up no runs on one hit while striking out one.
To read the full story about what happened in game three, pick up a copy of the mid-week edition of the Bowie News.
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.
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.
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.
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