Tigers roll past Buckaroos

Tigers roll past Buckaroos Brian Smith Wed, 05/08/2024 - 7:22 am   Senior Kaleem Howard heads into third and scored on the play in Game one of the Tigers’ bi-district series with Breckenridge. The squad will face Blanco in area this week. Photo/Mike Williams Five Jacksboro runs on no hits. Four Breckenridge errors. One win. Jacksboro did just that Wednesday, May 1, using four Breckenridge errors to score five runs without the benefit of a base hit, breaking open a 1-1 tie in the fifth inning and lifting the Tigers to a 6-1 victory in Game 1 of the best-of-three bi-district series in Graham. Jacksboro coach Blake Belcher said his top hitters just didn’t have a good night, as position one through four in the batting lineup were 2-12. “Our other guys were able to carry us tonight,” Belcher said. “I liked the way we were aggressive on the bases, as well.” Kasey Swan, who threw a complete game, did not have his best stuff, in Belcher’s eyes, but Belcher said he was pleased with the way Swan “gutted it out”. Tied at 1-1, Wyatt Gavit led off the fifth with a walk. A third baseman’s error, which allowed Kasey Swan to reach third, brought Gavit home to take a 2-1 lead. Cannon Valenzuela’s ground-out brought home Swan. In the Jacksboro half of the sixth inning, a two-out rally commenced with Lando Belcher and Jackson McComis both reaching on shortstop’s errors. A third baseman’s miscue plated Belcher for a 4-1 lead. Kasey Swan was hit by a pitch to load the bases. A wild pitch and bases loaded walk, which brought Tyler Mitchell aboard, extended the lead to 6-1. Breckenridge, who had eight in a row retired before and during the rally, had one-out singles in the seventh inning but a force out and a caught stealing ended the game. The Tigers drew first blood, opening the game with a Kaleem Howard single. Belcher’s sacrifice and a two-out Gavit single brought home Howard. Runners were left at second and third, part of 11 stranded runners for the Tigers in the game. Jacksboro had a chance to break the game open in the second inning. Singles by Tyler Mitchell and Brayden Rockey and a walk to Kyler Swan loaded the bases with no one out. They would remain that way as the next three hitters were retired on a fly to left and two strikeouts. The Buckaroos tied the game with a walk and two errors in their second. In the Tigers half of the third inning, a two-out rally began with a Valenzuela double and walks to Mitchell and Swan. Once again the opportunity was wasted as a force-out at second ended the threat. Jacksboro completed the two-game sweep of Breckenridge Saturday after a lightning and rain delay forced the movement of the contest. The Tigers posted a 4-1 win and will move on to face Blanco in a rematch of last year’s area round match-up. Breckenridge got out to a 1-0 lead which it held until the third inning. Jacksboro picked up single runs in both the third and fourth innings and added two runs in the fifth to break the game open. Jackson McComis pitched a complete game on the mound. Kasey Swan was two for three with an RBI. Both Belcher and Gavit had doubles to aid the offensive cause. Game 1 of the area round series will be at 4:30 p.m. Thursday, May 9, with games two and three, if necessary, scheduled for 1 p.m. Saturday, May 11. The series will be played at Howard Payne University in Brownwood.