Nac gets sweep of KHS diamond teams
HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL & SOFTBALL
By MITCH LUCAS sports@kilgorenewsherald.com

The trip back from Nacogdoches last night probably wasn't a pleasant one on either Kilgore High School bus.

Both the KHS baseball team and the softball team took District 12-4A losses on Friday night. The Lady Bulldogs lost an afternoon heartbreaker to the Lady Dragons, 3- 2 over eight innings, and then coach Jeff Blackstone's Diamond 'Dogs suffered their first district loss, dropping an 8-4 decision to Nac.

Both Kilgore teams face Jacksonville on Tuesday night here. The softball game will be varsity only, a 6 p.m. start at Stream-Flo Field. That's just the second home game for Kilgore all year. The Lady 'Dogs, coached by Cassie Newell and Rhonda Fletcher, are 4-12 overall this season, 0-4 in district play.

The KHS baseball team is now 7-5 on the year, 1-1 in district play, and also has a firstpitch time of 6 p.m. against Jacksonville on Tuesday. The Bulldogs will host Pine Tree on Thursday night, again a 6 p.m. start.

• Nac 8, Kilgore 4 (baseball): Kilgore scattered its four runs over the first five innings, and tied the game at 3-all in the fourth inning.

Unfortunately, Nac went nuts in the bottom of the inning, scoring five runs and putting the game away.

A bright spot for KHS continues to be the at-bats of catcher Chris Dudley, who went 4-for-4 with a double against the Dragons. Dudley has six home runs in 12 games, and is 8-for-8 with four extra-base hits against district competition (he had two home runs in the district opener at Whitehouse last Tuesday).

Andrew Ector went 1-for-3, with three stolen bases. Trace De- Berry went 2-for-4, as did Xavian Sanders.

Ryan Heimer took the loss for Kilgore. DeBerry also came in to pitch the last three innings.

Brady Colby went 3-for-4 for Nac, and Stewart Hill went 2-for- 4 with a double and an RBI.

Justin McAninch claimed the win. He allowed four runs (two earned) and seven hits to the 'Dogs. He struck out five, and walked four.

It's early in district play. Nac and Marshall are both unbeaten, with a logjam of teams, including the Bulldogs, at 1-1. Pine Tree is 0-2.

• Nac 3, Kilgore 2 (softball - eight innings): Kilgore just couldn't put Nac away early, even with opportunities, and it came back to bite them.

The Bulldogs led 1-0 after Chelsea Warren, who had singled, scored on a triple by senior Shae Morgan. But Nac would tie the game at 1. KHS then scored again, led 2-1, only to see Nac tie the game again and send it to extra innings.

Kilgore had a runner on second (Brianna Sanders, who had doubled) in the top of the eighth with no outs, but couldn't manage to plate the run. Nac went on to score in the bottom half of the inning, and claim the win.

Meagan Youngblood, who pitched well, Newell noted, went the distance on the mound for KHS and took the loss.