Tigers fall to Eagles in regional final

Tigers fall to Eagles in regional final Brian Smith Wed, 06/05/2024 - 7:47 am Tigers say a prayer Friday, May 31 before their game two loss against the Brock Eagles in Graham. Photo/Kylie Bailey Kaleem Howard hits a pop fly to center field in the first inning of the Tigers’ 7-2 loss Friday, May 31 to the Brock Eagles. Photo/Kylie Bailey First baseman Cannon Valenzuela jumps into action in the first inning of the Tigers’ 7-2 loss Friday, May 31 to the Brock Eagles. Photo/Kylie Bailey The Jacksboro Tigers narrowly missed the state tournament after their season ended Saturday to the Brock Eagles in the regional finals.Game 1 Jacksboro 5, Brock 1The Tigers cleaned up their defense from the Shallowater series where the squad made eight errors in three games.In their Thursday, May 30 match-up, Jacksboro made zero errors against Brock and got out of some early jams before their offense got rolling.Jacksboro coach Blake Belcher said with several things going on during the regional semifinal series, including graduation, the squad lost its focus a bit.“We were definitely locked in defensively tonight from the get go,” coach Belcher said. “There were just a lot of things going on last week but I was glad to see what we did tonight.”The Eagles stranded six runners, five in scoring position in the first three innings. Brock had the bases loaded with one out in the second inning before Kasey Swan struck out the next two hitters to end the threat.Two hits and a sacrifice in the Brock third inning had the Eagles in good shape before a groundout prevented any damage.“Getting out of those jams in the early innings was huge,” coach Belcher said. “Kasey had another great night on the hill for us, as well.”Swan scattered nine hits but appeared to get stronger as the night progressed. Of his eight strikeouts, five came in the final 1 2/3 innings. He was relieved by Cannon Valenzuela who struck out two and walked one to end the game.Jacksboro picked up the runs they needed in the bottom of the third inning. Lando Belcher’s leadoff walk and a Jackson McComis bunt single got things started. Wyatt Gavit moved the runners over on a sacrifice bunt.With Belcher coming home, Swan aided his own cause by executing a squeeze bunt to score the run.Swan then reached second base as a throw to second was off the mark, which enabled McComis to score for a 2-0 lead.A pair of strikeouts ended the rally.The Tigers struck for two more runs in the fourth inning. Brayden Rockey’s one-out single through the box got things started. Kaleem Howard’s sacrifice moved Rockey into scoring position.Belcher was safe on a third baseman’s throwing error. Rockey, who had a full head of steam, came around third and beat the throw home to extend the lead to 3-0.McComis drew his second walk of the game and reached second base on a passed ball. A Gavit single plated Belcher, but McComis was cut down at the plate to keep the score 4-0.Brock used a two-out triple and a single to get on the board in the fifth inning, but the Tigers got the run back in the bottom of the inning.A Valenzuela walk, stolen base and Kyler Swan’s two-out single would end the scoring.Game 2 Brock 7, Jacksboro 2 A six-run first inning for the Eagles would help even the series at one game each following the Tigers’ loss Friday, May 31.Jacksboro threatened in its second inning, with Gavit’s single to get things started.Kasey Swan’s sacrifice moved Gavit into scoring position. A strikeout and groundout back to the pitcher ended the threat.Hoytt Wesson’s oneout single got things rolling for the Tigers in the third. Howard brought home Wesson with a triple to left center.Belcher’s double plated Howard and cut the lead to 7-2. A walk to starting pitcher Mc-Comis put runners at first and second base but a fly out to center and a strikeout ended the threat.Jacksboro threatened in the fourth with a Valenzuela leadoff single and a Tyler Mitchell sacrifice putting Valenzuela at second, where he was picked off to end the inning.Brock sat down the Tigers in order in the final three innings to prevent further damage.“It was a bad start,” coach Belcher said. “We had to play catchup from there and it’s hard to do when you’re playing a good team.”Game 3 Brock 9, Jacksboro 3 The Eagles scored in every at-bat and had 11 hits to move on to the state tournament in their win Saturday, June 1 over the Tigers.The Tigers let golden opportunities in both the first and fourth innings slip away.Singles by Howard and Belcher in the first inning got things going. A one-out walk to Gavit loaded the bases.A Swan strikeout and forced out at second kept Jacksboro off the board.In the Tiger fourth inning, Valenzuela tripled into the right center field gap with one out with Mitchell drawing a walk and advancing to second base.Strikeouts of the next two hitters again snuffed out a Jacksboro threat.A Mitchell single, walk to Rockey and Howard reaching on a third baseman’s error loaded the bases with two gone in the Tiger sixth inning.Jacksboro avoided the shut-out with a three-run seventh inning. A McComis walk and singles by Gavit and Kasey Swan loaded the bases. Mitchell brought home all three runs with a double. A strikeout and groundout to second base ended the game.After the game, coach Belcher announced he would be stepping down as head coach but would remain on as an assistant.He said he wanted the opportunity to see his son Lando play at Cisco College.Assistant coach Todd Hatton will take over as head coach.