Wildcats win district opener at home

Image
  • Wildcats win district opener at home
    Wildcats win district opener at home
Subhead

Late rally leads to win

Body

The Sulphur Springs Wildcats hosted Royse City Tuesday night for their district opener.

Jaxon Chaney was the starting pitcher for Sulphur Springs. Chaney opened the game with getting Royse City leadoff man Tyson Oliver to strike out swinging at a curveball in the dirt. After getting a groundout to second base, Roye City got their first hit of the night with a two-out single to shallow centerfield. Chaney was able to strike the next man out and get out of the inning unscathed.

In the bottom of the inning, Jake Davis led things off for the Wildcats by drawing a walk. Davis advanced to second on a pitch in the dirt. Davis would score in the inning when Will Sims grounded out to first base to give the Wildcats an early 1-0 lead.

Chaney opened the top of the second inning with a pair of strikeouts, one swinging and one looking. After another two out single for Royse City, Chaney recorded his fifth strikeout of the night to get out of the frame leaving a runner stranded.

Royse City was able to get on the board for the first time in the third inning after the first two batters of the inning were retired. The two-out rally was started by a bloop single to left field. Chaney allowed his first run of the game on a single to right field. Catcher Austin Crouse was able to throw the runner out trying to steal second base, and the Wildcats entered the bottom of the inning tied 1-1.

The Wildcats were able to get their lead back in the bottom of the third after Chaney was able to draw a one-out walk and advance to second base on a fielder’s choice. With two outs in the inning, Alex Medina and Crouse were able to draw back-to-back walks to load the bases, and Jace Evans was able to bring in a pair of runs on a single up the middle to give the Wildcats a 3-1 lead.

Pitching with a lead once again, Chaney came out and threw a 1-2-3 inning, getting a pair of ground outs and racking up his seventh strike out of the game.

The Wildcats weren’t able to score in the bottom of the inning, and Royce City answered with a huge 4-run fifth inning giving them their first lead of the game.

Trailing 5-3 in the bottom of the sixth, the Wildcats’ bats came to life again, when Hayden Hurst got things going with a oneout single on a line drive to left. Hurst was able to advance to second on the on a fielder’s choice, and Davis brought him in on a single to left to bring the score to 5-4. Sulphur Springs kept the inning alive as Kolson Hale reached base on an error, and the tying and the go-ahead runs came in on a fly ball to left from Chaney.

With a 6-5 lead in the seventh inning and Hurst on the mound, Royse City got their first two base runners on with a walk and a bunt singe. With one out left, Royse City drew a walk to load the bases, but Hurst was able to get out of the jam, fielding a ground ball to record the final out of the game.

Hurst was the only Wildcat with multiple hits in the game, going 2 for 3 at the plate while also scoring a run. Hurst also recorded the win for the Wildcats, Hurst threw two innings, allowing just one hit and striking out five.

Davis, Hale and Jace Evans each recorded one hit a piece.

The Wildcats will play again Tuesday, March 17 at home against Lindale. The varsity game is set to start at 7 p.m.