Kilgore stumbles vs. L'view, beats Gilmer to stay alive
HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL/ OIL BELT CLASSIC TOURNAMENT
By MITCH LUCAS sports@kilgorenewsherald.com

THE X-MAN COMETH - Kilgore designated hitter Xavian Sanders (above) hits a single in the Bulldogs' 7-5 win over Gilmer on Friday in the Oil Belt Classic tournament, which continued Saturday. Kilgore (6-3) hosts Gladewater on Tuesday.

Giving up a lead late in the game has been one fault of the Kilgore High School Bulldogs baseball team so far this season.

Thankfully, the season is young, and even though there are lessons to be learned, one thing is clear: the talent and potential are there.

The Bulldogs continued play in their own Oil Belt Classic Tournament on Friday, falling to Longview in an early-afternoon game, 7-5, then beating Gilmer by the same score in the final game of the day at Driller Park. The day featured the bad (Longview committing seven errors but managing to beat the Bulldogs) and the very good (a three-run home run by Trevor Moon and a pair of triples by Andrew Ector and Steven McBryde, and the 100th career win for KHS coach Jeff Blackstone).

The tournament continued, and was to conclude, on Saturday following the publication of this paper. See a wrap-up of the tournament in Tuesday's Kilgore News Herald.

JEFF BLACKSTONE

The loss to Longview followed by the win over Gilmer gives KHS a 6-3 record so far this year. The Bulldogs still have a few games left before they have to worry about District 12-4A play. They'll host Gladewater at 6 p.m. on Tuesday night, and then begin play in a tournament at North Lamar High School in Paris on Thursday, a 1:30 p.m. start against an opponent to be determined.

The Diamond 'Dogs do open District 12-4A play at Whitehouse Tuesday, March 11.

Kilgore's junior varsity, coached by Ronnie Hendrix, was playing in a tournament at Carthage at press time, and is off this week until Thursday when they are scheduled to compete in a tournament at Pine Tree High School in Longview. The KHS JV opens against Longview on Thursday at 10 a.m.

• Longview 7, Kilgore 5: It looked for a while like the Bulldogs would hold on for a win over the Class 5A Lobos, who committed seven errors in the game.

But Longview - winless (0-5) this season before beating Liberty Eylau on Thursday - bounced back.

Trailing 5-1 before the fifth inning, the Lobos added two runs in the fifth with a two-run home run by Trevor Moren, also scoring Austin Smith. That brought Longview within two runs, 5-3.

The top of the sixth wasn't any better for Kilgore. The first three Lobos' batters all reached base - Johnny Garrett reached on an error, Blythe Kelly was walked and catcher Casey Zager managed a bunt single, loading the bases. Garrett would score on a wild pitch.

Kilgore's Danny Sharpe struck out the next two batters, but Christian Stringer got a single, scoring two and putting the Lobos in front, 6-5. A double by Smith scored Stringer and by the time Moren grounded out to end the inning, Longview led 7- 5.

Kilgore's lone base-runner in the bottom of the sixth turned out to be Jared Alexander, who reached on an error. But Travis Smith recorded a strikeout to end the inning and the game (it had hit the time limit).

Against the Lobos, Sharpe went the distance on the mound, allowing 10 hits, recording four strikeouts and walking just the one batter. Travis Smith went the distance for Longview. Smith struck out five and allowed just three hits.

Kilgore opened the scoring when Ector, who reached on an error and then stole second base, came home on a two-base error, giving KHS the 1-0 lead. Longview tied the game on an RBI single by Taylor Pepper in the top of the second, but Kilgore came back to score twice more in the bottom of that inning.

Sharpe reached on an error, then scored on a triple by Alexander. Strangely, on an errant throw to third, the ball went into the dugout, and Alexander was awarded the next base (home), scoring another run for a 3-1 KHS lead.

Kilgore would get two more runs before Longview's comeback. In the bottom of the third, Trace DeBerry was hit by a pitch, then advanced to second on a bunt single by McBryde. Xavian Sanders hit a two-out single, and then Sharpe popped up, what looked to be an easy out. The ball was dropped, allowing DeBerry and McBryde to score.

• Kilgore 7, Gilmer 5: The final game of the day for the Bulldogs had them facing elimination, and this time, it was Kilgore that staged a comeback.

Gilmer took a 2-0 lead in the first inning, only to see KHS tie the game in the bottom half of the inning. Ector led off with a triple; DeBerry had a sacrifice grounder that scored him; and then DeBerry scored on a triple by McBryde.

KHS took the lead in the bottom of the second. Moon, the left fielder hitting in the No. 9 hole, drew a two-out walk, then after he stole second, he scored on a double by Ector - and then two batters later, Ector scored on a single by McBryde, giving the Bulldogs a 4-2 advantage.

Gilmer added a run on an RBI single by Jake Ashley in the top of the third, but Moon pretty much put the Buckeyes away with a three-run shot over the fence in the bottom of the inning, scoring Sharpe and Alexander, as well.

Gilmer scored twice in the remaining innings, but DeBerry, who pitched the entire game, got Hunter Harrison to fly out to end the game with the time limit after the top of the fifth.