Tigers shut out Iowa Park, 3-0

Tigers shut out Iowa Park, 3-0 Brian Smith Tue, 04/30/2024 - 8:38 pm Some nights, when the game is on the line, you simply have to push through issues. Kasey Swan knows the feeling after his Jacksboro teammates staked him to a 3-0 lead through four innings Tuesday, April 23 against Iowa Park. Swan gave up a pair of one-out walks in the _fth to bring the tying run to the plate for the first time. Feeling a little tired but knowing a huge opportunity in the District 7-3A race was at stake, Swan pushed through and struck out the next two hitters. It was part of a 13-strikeout performance for the senior, who, thanks to an early offensive spurt by the Tigers, helped avenge an earlier loss to the Hawks with a 3-0 victory. Despite his struggles late, Swan said being at home for senior night made him feel good about the squad’s chances. “My curveball was working well tonight,” Swan said. “I knew I just had to push through it in the _fth.” Iowa Park had the tying run at the plate again in the seventh but a ground-out to second ended the game and sent the Hawks to 8-3 in league play. JacksborocoachBlake Belcher said there were several reasons the Tigers were able to avenge the earlier loss to Iowa Park. “We tried to get better at bats (than in the first meeting),” Belcher said. “We’ve been trying to stop swinging at bad or even marginal pitches and that helped.” Jacksboro picked up all the offense it would need in the _rst inning, Kaleem Howard led off with a single and moved to second on a balk. Jackson Mc-Comis followed with a one-out walk. Wyatt Gavit brought the pair home by taking a 2-2 pitch into the left center _eld gap. Swan beat out an in_eld single and moved to second on a passed ball, but both he and Gavit were stranded a s the next two hitters were retired. In the second, Kyler Swan drew a leadoff walk and moved to second on a Brayden Rockey sacri_ce bunt. With two gone, Lando Belcher took another 2-2 pitch into the left center _eld gap to extend the lead to 3-0. Read about the Tigers’ loss to Holliday on page 8.