BASEBALL, BASEBALL, BASEBALL! | Here are schedules for scrimmages, seasons for ETBLITZ-area teams
It’s time for the start of high school baseball and softball in East Texas, and there are plenty of scrimmages for you to see your favorite team in the week to come before the games begin to count.
Kilgore
Kilgore High School’s Diamond ‘Dogs – with the return of coach Eugene Lafitte, who is back at the helm of the ‘Dogs – play their annual alumni game on Saturday at 11 a.m. at historic Driller Park.
The Bulldogs were to play their first scrimmage at Athens on Tuesday, with the JV Red (junior varsity is split into team Red and team White) going first, then varsity at 6:30. On Friday, take the opportunity, if you wish, to come out to Driller to see the Bulldogs face Marshall in a second scrimmage – JV Red plays at 4, then varsity at 6.
Other dates of note: Kilgore’s varsity scrimmages at Longview on Monday at 5; the JV White and JV Red teams are both at Driller against the Lobos, starting at 4:30 with the White. Kilgore’s final scrimmage is at home against Pine Tree next Friday, Feb. 16 – this time, varsity plays at 5, and JV Red at 6:30.
The Bulldogs will open the season against Sabine on Monday, Feb. 19; they play in a tournament at Community, as they did last season, on Feb. 22-24; the annual Whataburger Oil Belt Classic is here at Driller Feb. 29-March 2; and Kilgore begins District 17-4A play on Tuesday, March 5 at Center.
In 17-4A again this year in addition to Kilgore and Center are Henderson, Spring Hill, Gilmer, and Carthage.
Here’s a link to the Bulldogs’ complete 2024 schedule: Kilgore Baseball Schedule 2024.
And on Lafitte: he returns to his former position as baseball coach for Kilgore after being gone for a season to North Zulch. In his first tenure as Kilgore head baseball coach, the Bulldogs got within a game of the UIL State Tournament in 2018, falling to Argyle the round before state, and the following year, Kilgore reached the state tourney, losing to Swinny in the first game there at Disch-Faulk Field at the University of Texas in Austin.
Lafitte went 102-40-2 in six seasons, and in his absence last year, Kilgore went 15-12, losing to Bullard in two games in a best-of-three-game first-round Class 4A playoff series.
Henderson
The Henderson Lions are planning to change their fortunes in 2024.
Coached by Jordan O’Bannon, the Lions are hoping to drastically improve from their 2-10 district mark in 2023. They were able to beat Kilgore in a game, 5-4 at Driller, and to get in to the playoffs as the number four seed from the district. But they finished the season on a four-game losing streak.
Henderson had its first scrimmage last Saturday against Arp. They were to scrimmage at Hallsville on Tuesday, will scrimmage at home against Jacksonville this Friday, a 7 p.m. start, and then twice more next week: at home against White Oak on Tuesday at 6:30, and at home against Hughes Springs on Friday, Feb. 16, also at 6:30.
The Lions open the season at home on Tuesday, Feb. 19 against Palestine Westwood, a 7 p.m. start, and will compete in the Lufkin Hughson Tournament Feb. 22-24. Henderson opens district play on March 5 at home against Carthage.
Here’s a link to Henderson’s schedule: Henderson 2024 Baseball Schedule.
Sabine
At Sabine, coach Michael Mayfield hopes to actually turn BACK the clock, or at least duplicate the results, from the 2022 season.
That year, the Cardinals, bolstered by a very strong senior class and a young crop of talent, got into the UIL Class 3A playoffs and did some damage, taking out Troup in a series that went three games, and Hooks in two games before running into Harmony in round three.
Last year, though, Sabine did make it back to the postseason, but lost to Tatum in the first round.
Only three scrimmages are listed on the Cards’ schedule (link below): this Monday, Feb. 5, at Troup; on Saturday at home against Edgewood, a noon start; and at home against Elysian Fields on Tuesday, Feb. 13, at 5.
As has been mentioned, they’ll open at Driller against Kilgore on Feb. 19 at 7 p.m., and then compete in a tournament at Hooks on Feb. 22-24. They’ve got Winnsboro on the road on Feb. 27, and then they’re a part of the Whataburger Oil Belt Classic again at Driller on Feb. 29-March 2.
District play begins for Sabine on March 22, at home against always-tough New Diana.
Here’s a link to Sabine’s 2024 schedule (just varsity): Sabine 2024 Schedule.
White Oak
One of the teams in Sabine’s district, the White Oak Roughnecks, hopes to take the next step in 2024. White Oak, who had a great run back in 2009-10, would love to do that again.
The Roughnecks’ first scrimmage was to be Tuesday, and they’ll also scrimmage Beckville this Friday night at home at 5.
The ‘Necks scrimmage at Henderson on Tuesday, Feb. 13, at Carthage on Friday, Feb. 16, and Saturday, Feb. 17 at home against Bullard at noon.
They’ll officially open the season on Monday, Feb. 19 at Spring Hill, and then compete in a series of tournaments: at Elysian Fields Feb. 22-24, at Grand Saline Feb. 29-March 2, and at Bowie March 7-9.
If you’d like to see the entire Roughnecks’ 2024 slate, click here: 2024 WHITE OAK BASEBALL SCHEDULE.
West Rusk
The West Rusk Raiders had a really good 2023 season, finishing up 22-13 overall, but 10-2 in district play, good enough for second place and a first-round playoff series against Hughes Springs.
The Raiders beat HS in back-to-back games of the best-of-three Class 3A series. But they dropped two games to Harmony in round two, the end of the West Rusk season.
They will scrimmage at Woden on Friday, starting with JV at 5 p.m., and then they’ll host Chapel Hill on Tuesday, a varsity-only scrimmage at 5.
They open the season at Gladewater on Monday, Feb. 19.
And here’s a link to the Raiders’ schedule: West Rusk Baseball.
Tatum
Tatum, Arp and Troup are all in the district with the Raiders, and Tatum had the best ’23 season of all four, going 23-11 and unbeaten in district, 12-0. The Eagles made it to the third round, getting past Winnsboro and Atlanta both quickly, without losing a game, but Gunter got them in round three, ending the Eagles’ season.
They’ll host the Longview Lobos for a scrimmage on Friday at 5 p.m., with their JV playing at Longview at the same time. Then both the JV and varsity will host Pittsburg for scrimmages on Monday, starting with JV at 4:30. And they wrap up the scrimmage schedule with varsity at Harmony on Friday, Feb. 16, and JV against Longview once again at home that day at 5.
The season begins for Tatum on Monday, Feb. 19 at 6 p.m. at home against Beckville.
Check out the rest of the Eagles’ schedule here: 2024 Tatum Baseball Schedule.
Arp
Arp went 14-12 in 2023 and finished third in that district with a 6-6 record. Their playoff run was quickly done, though, thanks to New Diana, who got the Tigers in the first round and moved on in two games.
Coach Dakota Alexander and his Arp Tigers were to host Chapel Hill in the first scrimmage of the season on Tuesday, and are back in action at home against Harmony this Friday, a scrimmage that begins at 5, varsity-only.
Saturday, weather-permitting, the Tigers will host their annual alumni game with a home run derby – that’s at 11 a.m., unless it’s changed – and then on Monday, they’ll travel to Quitman for a scrimmage at 4:30. Arp wraps up its scrimmages with a home date against Overton on Friday, Feb. 16, at 5.
The Tigers open their regular season at Rusk on Monday, Feb. 19, and after their home opener the next night (against Winona), beginning with JV at 4:30, they’ll compete in the Grand Saline Tournament on Feb. 22-24.
Here’s the remainder of the Arp schedule: Arp 2023-2024 Baseball Schedule .
Troup
As for Troup, as mentioned earlier, the Tigers made the playoffs, getting in as the fourth seed, but ran into White Oak, who beat them in round one.
The Tigers host Harleton on Friday at a 4:30 p.m. varsity start in a scrimmage, and play another one at Jacksonville on Tuesday, Feb. 13.
They’ll open the 2024 season at Tyler High – the former John Tyler – on Monday, Feb. 19 at 6:30.
Troup will compete in the Palestine/Elkhart Tournament from Feb. 22-24, play at Elkhart on Feb. 27, then compete in the Tyler High Tournament on Feb. 29-March 2.
For all of Troup’s schedule, go here: Troup 2024 Master Schedule.
Overton
Overton’s Mustangs have been doing fantastic in basketball, after their best football season since the mid 1990s. They’re hoping to keep it rolling onto the baseball diamond.
There was to be a scrimmage on Tuesday at Alto, and then the Mustangs will host a scrimmage against Cayuga on Tuesday, a 5 p.m. JV start.
Overton will host an alumni game and home run derby on Saturday, Feb. 17, at 11 a.m., and then open the season at the Gladewater Tournament, on Feb. 22-24.
For more Overton baseball dates, here you go: Overton ISD (Baseball 2024).
Leverett’s Chapel
The Leverett’s Chapel baseball team had a great run in 2023, losing the last couple of games in their regular season but then heating up, beating Miller’s Grove in three games in round one; defeating Sulphur Bluff in two games in round two; but then losing to Kennard in three games in the third round.
There doesn’t appear to be a complete schedule on the LC website, but here’s what’s given: Athletics | Leverett’s Chapel baseball 2024). Gladewater also had not updated its 2024 baseball schedule, but ETBlitz.com will update all of these as needed, and post as soon as they’re available.