Tigers fall to Holliday, 4-3

Tigers fall to Holliday, 4-3 Brian Smith Tue, 04/09/2024 - 8:12 pm Jacksboro and Holliday both know what it’s like to head into extra time this year to settle an issue. In football, the two squads did battle in the regional semifinals with the Tigers successful two-point conversion pulling out a thrilling 49-48 victory. On April 2, the teams did the same thing on the baseball field, ending regulation in a 3-all tie. The Eagles struck for an eighth-inning run and made it stick, despite the Tigers having the tying run aboard in a 4-3 loss. Jacksboro ends the first round of District 7-3A play with its 2nd straight loss at 4-2 (16-5-1 overall) while Holliday goes to 6-0 in the loop. In the 8th, the Eagles used an error, a sacrifice and a Mike Stewart single to break the tie. Stewart was thrown out on the play but another single kept the drive alive. A Wyatt Gavit strikeout prevented further damage. Swan, who recently committed play baseball at Howard Payne, gave up one run over the first four innings plus before Gavit came on in relief. Both teams threatened early, Holliday leaving runners at second and third in the first. The Tigers getting Kaleem Howard aboard via an error and Lando Belcher drawing a walk. What looked like a dropped third strike on Jackson McComis atbat was thrown down to third to retire Howard. It was then ruled that McComis was out as well which drew the ire of Tiger coach Blake Belcher who was confined to the dugout for the rest of the game. Jacksboro threatened in the second, Swan leading off with a walk and stole second and third. With one out, Kyler Swan walked to put runners at the corners. Trying to work the double steal, Kasey Swan was thrown out at home. Kyler Swan was stranded as another strikeout kept the game scoreless. Holliday used a walk and two singles to get on the board in the third. Jacksboro again put a pair aboard as Brayden Rockey singled and Belcher drew his 2nd walk with one out. The next two hitters were retired to end the threat. Down 3-0 in the Tiger sixth, McComis, Gavit and Kasey Swan opened with singles, the last a nifty little bunt down the third base line. A wild pitch and passed ball scored McComis and Gavit. Kyler Swan drew a one-out walk but the next two hitters were retired to keep the Tigers within 3-2. In the seventh, Belcher stroked a single and reached second and third on an error. McComis’ sacrifice fly tied the game at three.