Tigers even series with Brock

GRAFORD – They believed ... and they were right. 

Jacksboro’s fan base, which has been unwavering in its support all year, began the “we believe” chant as Brock came to bat in the bottom of the 7th Friday night with the Tigers holding a 9-5 lead in game two of the best-of-three series. With reliever Luke Dixon on the mound, Brock struck for a run on two hits in the inning with still two outs to get. 

One out later, the crafty junior, who came on in the 5th in relief of Ty Kennedy, had the tying run at the plate in the form of Trent Patino, who had the game winning hit the night before and had homered earlier in the game. There would be no case of history repeating itself as Dixon struck out Patino to preserve the 9-6 win and even the series at a game apiece.

The finale is set for today at 1 p.m. in Graford. With the win, Jacksboro (21-11-2) snapped Brock’s (27-4-1) 23-game win streak. Jacksboro Coach Blake Belcher praised Dixon for his nearly three innings of relief work.

“He battled for us and came through,” Belcher offered following the 2:32 encounter at the Graford Athletic Complex. “Ty was awesome for us as well.”

Kennedy gave up a leadoff homer to Patino in the bottom of the first. Belcher said seeing his starter get behind early didn’t bother him. The 1-0 Eagle lead lasted until the third.

A Tiger uprising began as Kennedy opened with a single. One out later, Payton Laake brought him home with a single. Singles by Lathan Lowrance and Tyler Harmonson loaded the bases. Harmonson used his speed to beat the throw to second on a Dixon fielder’s choice play, which scored Laake for a 2-1 lead.

A Clay Botello sac fly plated Lowrance. Hunter Drennan was intentionally walkecd but the bases were left full on a fly to center.

Jacksboro then struck for five more runs in the fourth, opening with Kennedy’s solo homer to left off Brock’s Christian Stites. After Caleb Nunley’s walk, Laake put another Stites offering over the wall in left for a 6-1 lead.

Harmonson reached on a fielder’s choice play following a Lowrance single and scored as Dixon doubled him home. Lowrance came home on another Botello sac fly for an 8-1 lead.

Brock struck for four runs in its fourth but the Tigers came right back and used a Lowrance single to score Fernando Piedra, who started the inning getting hit by a pitch, in the fifth.