11-12's ousted, winding up KBBA state tournament run

All-star tournament season ended Monday night for teams from the Kilgore Boys Baseball Association.

The 11-12 year-old all-stars finished their state tournament in Carthage with a loss to Atlanta, 4-3.

The loss concluded the KBBA's summer - five teams, though, made it to the state tournament round.

The 11-12 year-olds played much of the tournament season with Mark Dickey as their head coach, but he had to leave the team before the state tournament due to a prior commitment. Joe Stephenson and Steve Mendenhall also coached the squad.

Members of the 11-12 year-old allstars this year were Dylan Jordan, Colton Stephenson, Jerrick Massenburg, Kaleb Brisendine, Ryan Dixon, Robert Poland, Eric Plaisance, Deontre Williams, Mason Nestleroad, Zane Yarborough, Nathan Mendenhall, Jeremy Riddles and D'Quayvia Brewster.

After Atlanta took an early 1-0 lead off a home run in the top of the first inning on Monday, Kilgore tied the game in equally-dramatic fashion with a home run by Robert Poland to right center field. Kilgore went ahead 2-1 as Kaleb Brisendine scored on a sacrifice fly by Colton Stephenson, and the KBBA squad scored once more on a grounder hit by Nathan Mendenhall, bringing in Deontre Williams. But that would be all the runs Kilgore would get.

Atlanta added a run to tie the game at 3-all in the fourth inning, and scored the go-ahead run in the fifth.

Ryan Dixon, Kaleb Brisendine and Colton Stephenson were Kilgore's pitchers over the course of the contest.

The KBBA all-stars had lost their first game (to Hughes Springs, 7-5), and then defeated Cooke County, 110, before falling to Atlanta.

 Hughes Springs 7, Kilgore 5: Poland led off the first inning with a hard-hit single to left center field. Brisendine scored Poland two batters later to give Kilgore a 1-0 lead.

Hughes Springs tied the game at 1 in the bottom of the first, and then scored six second-inning runs to take a 7-1 advantage. They did it without having a hit - Kilgore committed four errors.

In the fourth inning, Kilgore made a bit of a comeback, getting a homer from Poland to make it 7-2. In the fifth, Jeremy Riddles walked, then stole second, third and home to make the score 7-3.

Mendenhall reached on an error in the sixth inning, then after stealing second, he scored on a single by Brisendine. Kilgore's final run was scored by Brisendine on a wild pitch.

Ryan Dixon, Eric Plaisance and Brisendine all pitched for Kilgore.

 Kilgore 11, Cooke County 0: A determined group of Kilgore allstars wouldn't allow their tournament run to end here, as they routed Cooke County.

The KBBA team scored four runs in the second inning without a single hit. Cooke County walked the bases loaded and then walked in the runs. Kilgore led 4-0.

Kilgore plated four more runs in the third. Poland and Williams both scored on a sacrifice fly by Kaleb. Plaisance and Mason Nestleroad each got singles. Mendenhall stepped up and belted a double, scoring Drayton Williams (running for Plaisance)and gave Kilgore an 8-0 advantage.

Dixon singled to open Kilgore's fourth inning and Dylan Jordan drew a walk. Both scored on a double by Jerrick Massenburge. Poland and Deontre Williams both walked, and Massenburge and Poland scored on a single by Brisendine to finish the contest.

Brisendine was the winning pitcher.