Bulldogs win season opener
HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL
By MITCH LUCAS sports@kilgorenewsherald.com

HE'S WAITING FOR THE PITCH TO HIT THE GLOVE, BUT THAT AIN'T HAPPENING - Kilgore's Brandon Terry (12) got a hold of this pitch by a Tyler Lee player for a three-run home run in the junior varsity game between the two schools, played here Monday night. Lee left with a win over the Bulldogs' JV, but the Kilgore varsity

More than likely, players and coaches on the Kilgore High School baseball team are hoping that Monday's season opener at Wills Point was the first of about 30 games played this season.

If the Bulldogs did play around 30 games, that would take them deep, deep into the UIL Class 4A playoffs.

The Diamond 'Dogs opened 2008 on the right foot on Monday, visiting Wills Point and beating WPHS, 8-3.

Kilgore (1-0) scattered runs throughout the game, netting two in the first inning, one run each in the second, third and fifth innings, and two more in the sixth inning.

Danny Sharpe picked up the win for Kilgore on the mound, striking out seven over three innings, but running up a high pitch count in the process. Second-year head coach Jeff Blackstone decided to pull Sharpe after three innings, and went to Ryan Heimer. Heimer pitched in workmanlike fashion, striking out four over the last four innings, and got the save.

The highlight of the game at the plate for Kilgore was a solo home run by Jared Alexander. Andrew Ector and Steven McByrde each went 2-for-3, and Trace DeBerry had a double.

McBryde made it into the lineup in the Bulldogs' first game, in spite of suffering a broken arm early in football season.

Blackstone liked what he saw from McBryde, who also didn't feel well during the contest.

"He was nervous a little bit, I think, but he overcame that," the coach said of the shortstop. "I thought he had a good game. I thought all our guys played pretty well."

As in recent memory, the Bulldogs hope to use this weekend's Rose City Classic to tune up and see some good baseball teams early. KHS will play four games in the tournament, played entirely in Tyler at the University of Texas at Tyler Field, and at Mike Carter Field.

Kilgore plays Rockwall Thursday morning at 11 a.m. at UT-Tyler Field. That's the only game for the Diamond 'Dogs on Thursday. They'll play twice on Friday: at 3:30 p.m. against Greenville, and at 8 p.m. against Shreveport Byrd. Both of those games are to be played at Mike Carter Field.

On Saturday morning, Kilgore faces Haughton at 10 a.m. at Carter Field.

There is rain in the forecast for the weekend.

Kilgore returns home to Driller Park Tuesday night against Bullard, a 6 p.m. start for the home opener. The Bulldogs will host their own tournament, the Oil Belt Classic, next weekend.