The Bowie Jackrabbits won broke a three-game losing streak to win their first district game at Vernon on Tuesday night.
The Jackrabbits won 8-2 against the Lions, with a couple of big offensive innings leading the way.
Bowie was coming off close district losses against Jacksboro and Iowa Park and then fell in a non-district game to Paradise by one run. The Jackrabbits needed not just a win, but a good one to get them back on track in a competitive district.
Bowie started the game on the right note when Tucker Jones hit the second pitch of the game over the left field fence for a solo home run. The Jackrabbits offense could not capitalize besides drawing a walk in the inning, but Bowie led 1-0.
Vernon answered in the same inning. The Lions first two hitters hit singles early in the count to get on base. Pitcher Edmond De Leon struck out the next two batters.
Then a groundball to the shortstop resulted in an error that allowed one run to score and the Lions tied the game up at 1-1.
Neither team scored in the second inning before things picked up for Bowie in the third inning.
Jones did it again, leading off the inning and hitting his second solo home run of the game to put the Jackrabbits back up. Unlike the first inning, his teammates followed and added a couple of more runs.
Troy Kesey hit a single. Following a fielder’s choice out, Rayder Mann drew a walk. De Leon then hit a double that drove in one run. Hayden Rodriguez followed with another double that drove in the other runner to put Bowie up 5-1.
Vernon bats again answered. A leadoff walk and a later wild pitch put the runner on third base. A fly ball out into right field was deep enough to drive the runner in after he tagged up to cut the lead to 5-2.
The fourth, fifth and sixth innings saw neither team score any runs, though both had chances. Bowie had the bases loaded and one out in both the fifth and sixth innings, but hit into the dreaded inning ending double-play the first time and could not come through the second time.
In the final inning, Rodriguez drew a walk to lead things off for the Jackrabbits. Cy Egenbacher laid down a sacrifice bunt to move him to second base. Will Cross hit a groundball to second base that resulted in an error that put runners on the corners.
A wild pitch allowed Rodriguez to come in and score a run.
A groundout moved Cross to third base and a wild pitch allowed him to come in and score.
Boston Farris was then hit by a pitch and would steal second base before Kesey drove him home with a single to left field.
Bowie was up 8-2 heading into the final at-bats for the Lions.
Egenbacher came in to get the save on the mound. After forcing a groundout at second base and striking out the next batter, Vernon got a two out single to try and start something.
A wild pitch allowed the runner to advance to second base, but Egenbacher induced a fly out to right field to end the game.
The Jackrabbits won 8-2.

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