The Bowie Jackrabbits baseball team picked up a huge win at Iowa Park on Tuesday.
The Jackrabbits won 7-5, coming back from a 5-2 deficit and tying the district series after losing to the Hawks the first time the teams played.
Fresh off another big game, winning on a walk-off RBI in extra-innings against another probable playoff team Jacksboro, Bowie could not afford to come in and have an off game or a team like Iowa Park would make them pay.
The Jackrabbits got out to the first lead of the game as Brody Armstrong led off with a single. Tucker Jones laid down a sacrificed bunt to move him to second base and two batters later, Friday night’s hero Kynan DeMoss continued his hot play by driving Armstrong in with a double. Bowie led 1-0 following a strikeout for out three.
Edmond DeLeon got the start on the mound for the Jackrabbits and the freshman had yet to lose in his previous four starts during district play. After an infield pop up for out one, the Hawks drew a walk and hit a single to get two runners on base.
DeLeon and Bowie’s defense came through getting a groundout force out at third base followed by a line out at third for out three.
Besides Conner Earp drawing a one out walk, the Jackrabbits did not get anything going in the second inning.
This left the door open for the Hawks to swoop in and take advantage when they threatened again. Following a strikeout, Iowa Park drew two walks and a single to load up the bases.
A passed ball allowed one run to score and the other two runners to advance. A sacrifice fly to left field allowed another run to score, giving the Hawks a 2-1 lead before getting a groundout to end the second inning.
Bowie answered in the third inning as Jones drew a one out walk. Two batters later, after Jones had successfully stolen second base, DeMoss came through again with a single to left field that drove in the tying run 2-2.
It would not stay tied for long. Iowa Park responded in the same inning. The leadoff batter hit a ball right into the right field corner for a triple. Next batter drove in that runner with a single to put the Hawks up 3-2 and they were feeling pumped up.
That momentum was snuffed out by the Jackrabbits with the next batter. A sacrificed bunt was laid down, but after getting the out at first base the lead runner made a break for third where he was tagged out for a double play.
A single followed, but it did not lead to anything as the next batter grounded out to the shortstop for out three.
Seth Hall led off for Bowie in the fourth inning with a single. Two batters later DeLeon hit a deep single that allowed Hall to reach third base to put runners at the corners. Pinch runner A.J. Whatley then stole second base to put two runners in scoring position.
Unfortunately, the Jackrabbits could not take advantage. The next two batters struck out and the runners were left stranded.
The Hawks added to their lead. A one out walk and single put two runners on base.
A sacrificed bunt then moved both into scoring position where Iowa Park’s next batter came through with a two RBI double. The Hawks led 5-2 and seemed to be in control having taken advantage of more of their opportunities than Bowie had so far through four innings.
The Jackrabbits got one run back in the fifth inning. Carson Sanders hit a one out double and DeMoss followed drawing a walk. Troy Kesey then hit a single to left field. Sanders went for home, but unfortunately was thrown out.
Next batter Hall popped one up high into the shallow outfield, but was bailed out by bad communication from the Hawks as several stared at each other as it dropped to the ground for an error. This allowed DeMoss to come in and score, cutting the lead to 5-3.
Iowa Park put itself in position to get the run back. A leadoff single followed by a rare off target throw to first base for an error two batters later put two runners on base with one out.
A groundout followed for out two, but both runners were allowed to advance and were in prime scoring position. Thankfully, DeLeon came through with a clutch strikeout to end the scoring chance.
The sixth inning proved to be the Jackrabbits big inning. Cy Egenbacher drew a walk with one out followed up with a single from Armstrong.
Jones then hit a ball to right field that was mishandled by the Hawk outfielder for another error that loaded up the bases.
Sanders came through with a single into the gap that drove in two runs. He was caught trying to stretch the hit into a double for out two, but Jones was still at third base.
DeMoss came through once again with his bat, driving in Jones with a single to right field and giving Bowie the lead 6-5. He advanced to second base thanks to another error out in right field, though it counted as a hit. Unfortunately, the next batter struck out for out three.
Iowa Park had responded every time up to that point, but after multiple innings where uncharacteristic fielding errors led to multiple runs being scored the Hawks seemed rattled.
Armstrong came in to pitch the final two innings. Despite the leadoff batter hitting the first pitch he saw for a single and later advancing all the way third base, Armstrong was able to induce an infield pop fly and routine groundouts to get out of the inning unscathed.
Hall led off for Bowie and again got another gift from the Hawks fielding. A groundball to shortstop resulted in Iowa Park’s fourth fielding error, and it would come back to bite.
Hall successfully stole second base before Earp laid down a sacrifice bunt to move him to third base.
Boston Farris, playing in his second varsity district game and his first at-bat of the game after subbing in to play in the outfield when there was a pitching change, came through with a sacrifice fly ball to center field which allowed Hall to score.
Bowie’s lead was up to 7-5 heading into the bottom of the seventh inning following a groundout for out three.
Armstrong retired the first two batters with a strikeout and a fly out to right field. Iowa Park would not go away down to its last out though.
A drawn walk and single followed, putting the tying runners on base. With tension coming from every pitch, Armstrong quickly worked ahead on the next batter up 0-2 in the count, but the batter fouled off three straight pitches and held for a ball as the Hawks would not go away.
Finally, the next pitch was popped up into foul territory and fittingly third basemen DeMoss caught it for the final out.
Bowie won 7-5.

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