Tigers roar over Vernon

Tigers roar over Vernon Brian Smith Wed, 03/20/2024 - 7:09 am   Kaleem Howard scores the first Jacksboro run of a 15-6 win Tuesday, March 12 over Vernon. Photo/Brian Smith Coaching 400 baseball games is quite an accomplishment in itself. Winning 400 games is even more so. Basebal l coach Blake Belcher picked up his 400th coaching win Tuesday, March 12, with a convincing 15-6 decision over visiting Vernon. After seeing his Tigers go to 2-0 in District 7-3A and 13-3-1 overall, Belcher said it doesn’t seem possible to have that many wins. “I guess it just means I’m old,” Belcher said. “Our offense was really good today.” Jacksboro slapped out 14 hits and received a solid relief pitching performance from sophomore Wyatt Gavit to take the win. Gavit threw five innings, scattering two runs on three hits and retired the side in order twice. “Wyatt was huge coming in like that,” Belcher said. “We’ve got a deep pitching staff so we don’t have to leave someone hanging out to dry when they’re having a bad day.” Belcher admitted he considered bringing in another reliever to start the 7th but opted to stick with Gavit. After Tiger junior left-hander Cannon Valenzuela got out of a first inning jam with a pair of strikeouts, the Purple offense got rolling. Kaleem Howard’s leadoff single became a run after Lando Belcher’s double into the left centerfield gap. Jackson McComis’ single and a Gavit sacrifice fly brought home Belcher for a 2-0 lead. A wild pitch and errant throw to third plated McComis. Vernon came back with a four-run second to take a brief lead which the Tigers erased in the bottom of the inning. Tyler Mitchell’s leadoff single and one-out walks to Brayden Rockey and Howard filled the sacks. Be l cher came through with a two-RBI single with Gavit reaching on a two-out error scoring Howard for a 6-4 lead. Runners were left in scoring position after a strikeout. Kyler Swan extended the lead with a third-inning double which plated Valenzuela who was hit by a pitch. The Lions got the run back in the top of the fourth to cut the lead to 7-5. Jacksboro broke the game wide open with a five-run fourth. Singles by Gavit and Kasey Swan and a McComis walk loaded the bases with no outs. Valenzuela singled home a run with a walk to Mitchell extending the lead to 9-5. Valenzuela and Swan both scored on a wild pitch with Mitchell’s walk becoming a run on a Kyler Swan sac fly to give Jacksboro a 12-5 lead. Belcher opened the fifth with a double off the wall in the left. A one-out Gavit single and error plated the run. Courtesy runner Isaac Wesson made the score 14-5 on a Kasey Swan double into the left centerfield gap. Each team had a single run in the 6th. Kyler Swan’s infield single and error, and a Howard sac fly plated the Tigers’ final run.