Five late runs puts Jacksboro past Bowie 11-4 in 7-3A action

Jacksboro Baseball Coach Blake Belcher has been looking forward to this season after a pair of thin years for the Tigers.

While the record is still lean at 5-10, there is plenty of light at the end of the tunnel as the youth is doing a solid job and helped the Purple even Jacksboro’s District 7-3A ledger at 1-1 with an 11-4 victory over Bowie at Tiger Field March 15.

Belcher said he was pleased with the win.

“That was a win. Dadgummed,” Belcher said following the 1:52 contest. “We needed that.”

The squads battled through the middle innings tied at four before the Tigers broke things open with seven unanswered runs in the fifth and sixth innings.

Pitcher Christian Wiggins got a two-run rally started in the fifth with a one-out double. He scored on Cody Frie’s single. Frie later stole second and scored on a two-out wild pitch for a 6-4 lead. Baylor Laake drew a walk but was stranded following an infield popout.

After Laake, who came on to relieve Wiggins in the top the fifth and retire the last eight men he faced the Jacksboro bats got things rolling with a five-run sixth. Kaleem Howard drew a one-out walk and beat a throw to second on the fielder’s choice, which allowed Peyton Kinman aboard. Freshman Kasey Ray Swan slapped a single and moved to second on the throw home for a 7-4 cushion. A wild pitch plated a run with Josh Pierce being hit filling the pond once again.

Laake aided his cause with a two-run single for a 10-4 lead. He stole second before a passed ball scored the final run. Taber Dunn drew a walk but he and Laake were stranded at the corners as a strikeout was recorded to end the frame.

The Tigers faced City View at home the next day (see story below).