Nocona
The Nocona Indians picked up not just their first district win of the season, but a win that keeps them in the playoff race with their victory against Chico on Monday.
The Indians held on to win 8-7 against the Dragons on senior night to send the hometown crowd home happy.
Nocona came into the game struggling to compete for most of the season as well as district, with its last win coming March 2 against Electra during its hosted tournament.
Chico struck in the top of the first inning. With two runners on base, a pickoff attempt at first base resulted in an error which allowed one run to score as the Dragons took a 1-0 lead.
The Indians answered in the same inning. With two runners in scoring position following a sacrifice bunt from Wesley Murphey, Charlie Fuller hit a ground ball that got past the Chico second basemen for an error that allowed both runners to score.
Nocona led 2-1 after the first inning.
After a scoreless second inning, the Dragons retook the lead in the top of the third. Two walks and two singles along with a fielder’s choice ground out allowed Chico to score three runs, making the score 5-2.
Nocona cut the lead to one in the same inning. After two walks, Charlie Fuller again grounded to second base and again a fielding error allowed one run to score. A groundout followed from Konor Harrington allowed another run to score to make it 5-4.
In the fourth inning the Indians tied the score. With two base runners on and one out, Charlie Fuller grounded into a fielder’s choice, but it allowed one run to tie the game up at 5-5 heading into the fifth inning.
The Dragons retook the lead with a solo home run over the left field fence to go back up 6-5.
Nocona answered in the bottom of the sixth inning. Miguel Olivares reached first base on a bunt that scored one run to tie the game up.
Later in the inning, a passed ball allowed another run to score from Walker Murphey. With Olivares on third base, an error trying to pick him off then allowed him to come in and score another run, putting Nocona up 8-6 heading into the final inning.
Chico was not going to go away quietly though. Two hit batters and a single loaded the bases up with no outs.
Following a strikeout, a single drove in one run to cut the lead down to one run 8-7.
Nocona’s defense got a break when they caught the runner at third base too far off the base and got him out for the second out.
Following an intentional walk that loaded the bases again, the next batter hit a groundball to second basemen Jackson Nunneley who made the routine play for out three to end the game.
Nocona won 8-7.

Saint Jo
The Saint Jo Panthers played their final district games on Tuesday in a double-header against 2A Lindsay.
The Panthers won game one definitively 10-3, but then lost a close game two 8-7.
Saint Jo was coming off two disappointing losses to Muenster which broke up a five-game win streak.
The Panthers took control in the opening two innings, going up 5-0. Saint Jo added two more runs in the fifth inning to make the score 7-0 before the Knights responded in the sixth inning.
Lindsay scored three runs, but the Panthers got those runs back by equaling them in the bottom of the sixth inning to go back up 10-3.
Saint Jo closed out the seventh inning to win the game.