DIAMOND ‘DOGS TOP SABINE IN OPENER | Hale shines on mound, plenty of offense in Lafitte’s return
It’s hard to argue with the season-opening success Kilgore High School enjoyed in a run-rule 14-4 victory over the Sabine Cardinals at historic Driller Park on Monday evening.
The Diamond ‘Dogs welcomed Eugene Lafitte back to the home dugout for his second stint as the baseball head coach at Kilgore High School.
Lafitte was here for five years, winning more than 100 games and reaching the University Interscholastic League State Baseball Tournament in Austin, left for a year, and then returned.
Sophomore Kolton Hale drew the starting nod on the mound and made the most of it. He no-hit the Cardinals for four innings, as the ‘Dogs scratched for single runs in the first and second innings, and kept adding on, with six in the third, four in the fourth and two more in the fifth inning.
The Cardinals notched all four of their runs off relievers Jackson Phillips and Jordan Pierce in the top of the fifth.
“Outstanding performance by Kolton on the mound,” Lafitte said. “Couldn’t really ask for a better start. He’s very versatile can play outfield, infield or pitch for us.”
Hale faced a dozen batters and retired each of them. He threw only 36 pitches: 23 strikes and 13 balls. The final six hitters the right-hander faced, saw first-pitch strikes.
“We didn’t have a pitch count, but I can tell you, he didn’t reach it,” Lafitte continued. “We’ve got a tournament coming up later this week at Nevada Community. And I wanted to see some other guys get in and perform.”
Todd House, Pierce, Cason Edney and Cade Cox had two hits apiece. Hale, Tate Truman and Colt Bullard each added a base hit for the Bulldogs. Hale and Bullard delivered 2 RBI apiece.
“We got ahead of them early and just added on, winding up with 11 or 12 hits I think,” Lafitte added.
Trailing 12-0 and facing being run-ruled, the District 15-3A Cardinals got things going after Lafitte opted to change pitchers, bringing in Phillips, who retired Braylin Hawkins, the first batter he faced on a strikeout in the top of the fifth.
Zane Shearer, Hunter Murry were hit by pitches and then Rhyder Richardson coaxed a walk to load the bases, forcing Lafitte to bring on Pierce to record the final two outs and he did, but not before allowing Garridon Edwards the only hit (single) of the game, deep into the hole at shortstop.
Edwards hit and the Cardinals second run scored following Shearer scoring on a wild pitch. The final runs crossed on an error behind first base, and the rally ended with Pierce recording his second strikeout of the game.
Hunter Pepper started on the mound for the visitors. And before this season-opener was history, Lincoln Royce, Hawkins, and Edwards each spent some time in relief on the mound.
Kilgore’s next home game will be in the Whataburger Oil Belt Classic, beginning Thursday, Feb. 29 against Farmersville.