Bears lose Regional Quarterfinal series against the Neches Tigers, two games to one
By Dj Spencer Sports Editor,
2024-05-15Senior Gavin Brazell (1) delivers a pitch during Game 3 of the Bears' Regional Quarterfinal series against Neches Saturday. Brazell batted 5 for 9 and scored three runs over the course of the series. He was also the starting pitcher in Game 3.
Senior Brody Gunn (5) takes a big cut off of a pitch during Game 1 of the Bears' Regional Quarterfinal series against Neches Friday. Over the course of the series, Gunn batted 2 for 9, scored two runs, and recorded an RBI. Photos by DJ Spencer
Jaydon Carrell (11) weighs his options on the basepaths during Game 2 of the Bears' Regional Quarterfinal series against Neches Friday. Carrell batted 3 for 9, recorded three RBIs, and scored a run during the series. He was also the winning pitcher in the Bears' Game 2 victory.
SB’s season comes to bitter end
BodyTYLER — The Sulphur Bluff Bears saw their season come to a heartbreaking end this past weekend after losing their best-of-three Regional Quarterfinal series to the Neches Tigers two games to one. Despite fighting hard to force a third game, the Bears were unable to complete the series comeback, as the Tigers won the series and sent the Bears home for the season.
GAME ONE
NECHES 8
SULPHUR BLUFF 2
For the first game, played May 10, the Bears stepped up to the plate first. They immediately gained a runner when Gavin Brazell walked.
On the next at-bat, Brody Gunn hit an RBI triple, bringing Brazell home and giving the Bears a 1-0 lead. Soon after, Brock Gunn hit an RBI single, driving Brody Gunn home and extending the Bears’ lead to 2-0.
Another runner was gained when Ayden Johnson was hit by a pitch. Unfortunately, three straight outs followed when both Tyson Collins and Jaydon Carrell struck out, and Brock Gunn was picked off a second base, ending the Bears’ turn.
The Tigers came to the plate next, facing Brody Gunn on the mound. The Tigers went down in order following a pair of strikeouts and a ground out, ending the first inning.
The Bears would go down in order to start the second inning after Trey Tully, Kason Joslin, and Evan Carr all struck out. The Tigers were likewise retired in order during the bottom of the second inning after a pair of strikeouts and a pop out.
The third inning began with Brazell striking out and Brody Gunn grounding out. Though a runner was gained when Brock Gunn hit a single, their turn ended when Johnson hit a pop fly ball for an out.
The Tigers once again went down in order during the bottom of the third inning after a pair of strikeouts and a ground out, as the Bears maintained their 2-0 lead.
The fourth inning began with Collins grounding out. A runner was then gained when Carrell hit a single.
Another out occurred when Tully struck out. Though another runner was gained when Joslin walked, their turn ended when Carr grounded out.
The bottom of the fourth inning began with a ground out. The Tigers would then load the bases up after a walk and a pair of singles.
After that, the next batter grounded into a fielder’s choice, where a runner was tagged out at home plate. A fly out on the following at-bat ended the fourth inning, with the Bears still ahead 2-0.
The fifth inning began with Brazell hitting a single. Brody Gunn then hit a double, but Brazell was tagged out advancing to third base.
This was followed by Brock Gunn grounding out. Though another runner was gained when Johnson was hit by a pitch, their turn ended when Collins hit a pop fly ball for an out.
The bottom of the fifth inning started with the Tigers loading up the bases on a hit by pitch, a walk, and a single. After a strikeout, a walk brought home run, putting Neches on the board and cutting the score to 2-1.
A 2-RBI single followed, as the Tigers pulled ahead 3-2. After a strikeout, a 2-RBI triple allowed the Tigers to extend their lead to 5-2.
An RBI double on the next at-bat helped the Tigers raise their lead to 6-2. This was followed by an RBI single, as the score now stood at 7-2. A ground out on the next at-bat finally brought the fifth inning to a close.
The Bears were retired in order to begin the sixth inning, as Carrell struck out, Tully hit a pop fly ball for an out, and Joslin grounded out.
For the bottom of the sixth inning, Brock Gunn relieved Brody Gunn on the mound. The Tigers’ turn began with a triple. This was followed by consecutive strikeouts.
On the next at-bat, an RBI single was recorded, bringing home a run and raising the score to 8-2. Another strikeout followed, ending Neches’ turn.
The seventh inning started with Carr grounding out and Brazell striking out. After two runners were gained when Brody Gunn walked and Brock Gunn hit a single, the game ended when Johnson hit a pop fly ball for an out, as the Tigers capped off an 8-2 comeback win, taking the lead in the series.
As a team, the Bears batted 7 for 26 (.269) from the plate. Brock Gunn led with three hits. Brody Gunn tallied two hits, while Brazell and Carrell added one hit each.
Brazell and Brody Gunn both scored one run each.
Brody Gunn suffered the loss on the mound. In five innings, despite recording eight strikeouts, he surrendered eight hits, seven earned runs, and three walks.
Brock Gunn pitched one inning in relief, recording three strikeouts while conceding two hits and one earned run.
GAME TWO
SULPHUR BLUFF 6
NECHES 3
For the second game of the series, played 30 minutes after the first, the Tigers stepped up to the plate first, facing Carrell on the mound. The game started with a pair of singles.
A 2-RBI triple followed, as the Tigers established a 2-0 lead. This was followed by an RBI single, extending Neches’ lead to 3-0.
Following a strikeout, another runner was gained on a single. Two more strikeouts followed, ending the Tigers’ turn.
The bottom of the first inning began with the Bears immediately loading the bases after Brazell, Brody Gunn, and Brock Gunn all walked. After Johnson struck out, Carrell swatted a 3-RBI triple, bringing all Brazell, Brody Gunn, and Brock Gunn home and tying the score at 3-3. Two more outs followed when Collins struck out and Joslin hit a fly ball for an out, closing out the first inning.
The Tigers went down in order to start the second inning after a pair of strikeouts and a fly out.
The bottom of the second inning started with Tully hitting a pop fly ball for an out. Two runner were then gained when Carr walked and Brazell hit a double.
Brody Gunn grounded out next, but managed to bring Carr home, giving the Bears a 4-3 lead. This was followed by Brock Gunn hitting an RBI double, driving Brazell home and extending the Bears’ lead to 5-3. The third out occurred when Johnson grounded out, closing out the second inning.
The third inning began with a fly out. After a single, the next batter grounded into a double play, ending the Tigers’ turn.
The bottom of the third inning began with both Carrell and Collins hitting singles. Unfortunately, Joslin lined into a double play on the next at-bat, where Collins was called out at first base for not tagging out.
Soon after, Carrell scored on a steal of home, increasing the Bears’ lead to 6-3. The third inning came to an end after Tully grounded out.
The fourth inning started with a single. Following a pop out, another runner was gained on a walk. From there, a strikeout and a fly out ended the Tigers’ turn. The Bears were then retired in order during the bottom of the fourth inning after Carr hit a fly ball for an out, Brazell struck out, and Brody Gunn lined out, ending the fourth inning, with the Bears maintaining their 6-3 lead.
The fifth inning began with a walk and a single. From there, a pair of strikeouts and a fly out brought the Tigers’ turn to a close.
The bottom of the fifth inning started with Brock Gunn hitting a single. Johnson then hit a single, but Brock Gunn would be tagged out advancing to second base.
Though another runner was gained when Carrell hit a single, the inning ended after Collins struck out and Joslin hit a pop fly ball for an out.
The sixth inning began with a ground out. The Tigers then gained a pair of runners on walks. From there, Carrell was relieved by Brock Gunn on the mound, who struck out the next two batters to end Neches’ turn.
The bottom of the sixth inning started with Tully grounding out and Carr striking out. Though a runner was soon gained when Brazell hit a double, the inning ended after Brody Gunn hit a pop fly ball for an out.
The Tigers went down in order during the seventh following a fly out and a pair of strikeouts, as the Bears capped off a 6-3 victory, evening the series and forcing a decisive third game.
As a team, the Bears batted (.360) from the plate. Carrell led the way, going a perfect 3/3. Brazell and Brock Gunn added two hits each, while Collins and Johnson tallied one hit a piece.
Brazell finished as the leading scorer with two runs. Carr, Carrell, Brock Gunn, and Brody Gunn all scored one run each.
Carrell picked up the win on the mound. Across 5 1/3 innings, he recorded eight strikeouts, along with eight hits, four walks, and three earned runs. Brock Gunn earned a save in his 1 2/3 relief innings, tallying four strikeouts.
GAME THREE
NECHES 6
SULPHUR BLUFF 0
For the third and final game of the series, played May 11, the Bears stepped up to the plate first. They would go down in order after Brazell hit a fly ball for an out, Brody Gunn lined out, and Brock Gunn grounded out.
The Tigers came to the plate next, facing Brazell on the mound. Neches’ turn began with a strikeout.
Two runners were then gained on a walk and an error. Soon after, a runner scored on a wild pitch, giving the Tigers a 1-0 lead. After a fly out, an RBI single led to another run, as the Tigers extended their lead to 2-0.
After two more runners were gained on a walk and a single, a strikeout ended the inning.
The Bears were once again retired in order to start the second inning after Johnson was tagged out on a dropped third strike, and both Carrell and Collins grounded out.
The bottom of the second inning started with a walk and a single. After a strikeout, the bases loaded up on a walk. Two more outs followed on an infield fly and a fly out, closing out the second inning.
The Bears were retired in order once again to start the third inning, as both Joslin and Tully struck out, and Carr hit a fly ball for an out.
The bottom of the third inning started with a single. The next batter grounded into a fielder’s choice, where the runner was tagged out advancing to home plate.
Following a strikeout, an error led to a run, as the Tigers extended their lead to 3-0. An RBI single led to another run, as Neches extended their lead to 4-0.
Another RBI single was the result of the next at-bat, as Neches raised the score to 5-0. After that, Brazell was relieved by Brock Gunn on the mound.
Soon after, a run was scored on a steal of home, bringing the score to 6-0. A ground out followed after, ending the inning.
The fourth inning began with Brazell grounding out and Brody Gunn hitting a fly ball for an out. The Bears would then finally gain a runner when Brock Gunn hit a single. After that, their turn ended when Johnson grounded out.
The bottom of the fourth inning started with a fly out and a ground out. Following a single, the next batter was thrown out on a dropped third strike, closing the inning out.
The Bears would go down in order to start the fifth inning after both Carrell and Collins grounded out, and Kaleb White hit a pop fly ball for an out. The Tigers were likewise retired in order during the bottom of the fifth inning after a ground out, a strikeout, and a pop out.
The sixth inning started with Tully hitting a single. This was followed by Care grounding into a fielder’s choice, where Tully was tagged out advancing to second base.
Though another runner was gained when Brazell hit a single, the Bears’ turn ended after Brody Gunn grounded out and Brock Gunn hit a fly ball for an out.
The bottom of the sixth inning kicked off with a pair of ground outs. After a single, a line out ended the Tigers’ turn.
The seventh inning started with Johnson hitting a double. Unfortunately, three consecutive outs followed when Carrell hit a pop fly ball for an out, and both Collins and White struck out, as the Tigers capped off a 6-0 win, and won the series 2-1.
As a team, the Bears batted just 4 for 25 (.160) from the plate. Brazell, Brock Gunn, Johnson, and Tully all tallied one hit each.
Brazell suffered the loss on the mound. Across 2 2/3 innings, he allowed six hits, six runs, and four walks, recording four strikeouts. Brock Gunn pitched the final 3 1/3 innings in relief, striking out two batters and conceding two hits.
With these results, the Bears’ season has come to an end. They end the season with an overall record of 12-9, finishing as undefeated District champions, Bi-District champions, and Regional Quarterfinalists.
Game Three would go down as the last high school baseball game for eight senior Bears: Brazell, Clint Degen, Christian Gonzalez, Brody Gunn, Marshall Johnson, Ty LeMond, Matthew Overly, and Kaleb White.
The Bears will look to improve in the offseason and make a deeper playoff run next year.
Most PopularWelcome to NewsBreak, an open platform where diverse perspectives converge. Most of our content comes from established publications and journalists, as well as from our extensive network of tens of thousands of creators who contribute to our platform. We empower individuals to share insightful viewpoints through short posts and comments. It’s essential to note our commitment to transparency: our Terms of Use acknowledge that our services may not always be error-free, and our Community Standards emphasize our discretion in enforcing policies. We strive to foster a dynamic environment for free expression and robust discourse through safety guardrails of human and AI moderation. Join us in shaping the news narrative together.
Comments / 0