The Wildcats’ baseball team wrapped up play at Lindale’s Robbie Surratt Memorial Tournament with a 5-3 win over host Lindale Saturday (March 3) night. The Wildcats won 1 and lost 3 during the tournament but Wildcats Coach Jerrod Hammack was so pleased with the win over a good Lindale team, he said it almost made him forget three poor earlier defeats in the tourney.
Saturday night, the Wildcats used good pitching and timely hitting to defeat the Eagles. Ryan Humphries went five innings to get the win. He allowed only 3 hits and 2 runs with only 1 run earned. Humphries walked 5 and struck out 3. Pacen Edwards threw the final two innings earning a save giving up only 1 hit and 1 run while striking out 1 and walking 1. The Wildcats scored 5 runs on 5 hits. Triston McCormick was 2 for 4 with 3 RBIs and 2 doubles. Humphries was 1 for 4 with 2 runs scored and an RBI. Dawson Draper drove home a run on a sacrifice fly. Kaden Argenbright walked 3 times in 4 at bats. Courtesy runner Connor Burgin scored two runs. Jaxon Chaney was 2 for 4 with 2 doubles. The Wildcats broke a scoreless tie with 3 runs in the top of the third inning with only 1 hit. Austin Dodd and Argenbright walked. A wild pitch moved Dood and courtesy running Burgin up a base. Humphries struck out but the ball got away from the Eagles’ catcher and he made it to first. McCormick drove home Dood and Burgin with a double down the left field line. Draper’s fly ball out scored Humphries. Lindale scored a third inning run without a hit. The Wildcats had two errant throws in the inning that led to the run scoring. The Wildcats were up 3-1 after three innings. The Wildcats increased their lead to 5-1 with 2 runs in the top of the fifth. Argenbright walked and courtesy runner Burgin advanced to second on a wild pitch. Humphries singled up the middle to score Burgin. McCormick doubled off the left field wall scoring Humphries. Lindale cut the lead to 5-2 with another run without a hit. They used a walk, two ground balls that advanced the runner and a wild pitch to score. Lindale added a final run in the bottom of the seventh. They used a walk, a ground ball that advanced the runner and an RBI single.
In the tournament, the Wildcats lost to Atlanta, 5-3 on Thursday (March 1). Their first game Friday (March 2), they lost to The Brook Hill School. The Wildcats scored seven first inning runs and then went into a shell on offense. Meanwhile Brook Hill chipped away and kept scoring until they had a 13-7 win. Coach Hammack said the Wildcats put 16 Brook Hill batters on base without a hit either by walks or errors. Later Friday the Wildcats lost to All Saints Episcopal School of Tyler, 7-2.
Despite those losses, Coach Hammack felt the Lindale win Saturday night was one the team could build upon. The Wildcats will play in a Sherman-Denison Tournament Thursday through Saturday (March 8-10). District play begins the following week.
