BULLARD TAKES SERIES LEAD | Panthers go up 1-0 on Bulldogs; Game two Friday night at Driller
BULLARD – You know what they say about the best laid plans.
Things did go awry for the Kilgore High School Bulldogs on Wednesday night here at the Bullard Panthers’ recently-opened park, as Bullard opened the UIL Class 4A baseball playoffs with a 7-0 win over Kilgore to take a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three bi-district series.
Oklahoma-bound left-hander David Wilson came within a hit of a no-hitter and a perfect game. But Kilgore senior Tate Truman broke those up with a two-strike, two-out double to the left center field fence in the top of the seventh inning.
Kilgore, the third-place playoff entry from District 17-4A, gets a chance to even the series when it continues on Friday with a 6 p.m. start at historic Driller Park in Kilgore.
If the Diamond ‘Dogs even the series at 1-all, a deciding third game will follow 30 minutes after the conclusion of Game 2.
Bullard was the runner-up to Lufkin Hudson in District 18-4A.
Dylan Fowler went 2-for-4, driving in two runs to lead the Panthers’ offense as they secured their 26th victory of the season (26-5-2) against the Bulldogs, who are now 16-12-2.
The Panthers sent eight batters to the plate and scored twice on Kilgore starting pitcher Todd House in the first inning. Ben Coke led off with a single up the middle. Dylan Malone sacrificed him to second with a bunt.
Wilson, the ace of the Panthers pitching staff, helped himself with a single. Coke moved to third on a passed ball and scored the first run of the contest, giving the Panthers a 1-0 lead, on a wild pitch.
Wilson scored on Fowler’s first hit of the game, a single to left field.
Bullard added a run in the second on Wilson’s sacrifice fly to centerfielder Cade Henry to score Noah Lock, extending the Panthers lead to 3-0.
The Panthers then added three runs in the fourth, capitalizing on a walk and doubles by Dylan Malone and Chase Randall before adding a run in the fifth inning off reliever Tanner Beets.
With one out, Coke, who was 2-for-2 and scored three times, tripled to right center and then scored the final run of the contest a passed ball.
House (2-1) was the first of three Kilgore pitchers, going 3-1/3 innings and shouldering the loss. He was followed by Beets (1 2/3) and Truman (1).
Bullard stranded six on the basepaths, and four of those were in scoring position.
Wilson improved to 6-1 for the season, retiring the Bulldogs three up and three down for 6 2/3 innings. He threw 78 pitches, getting eight groundball outs, seven flyball outs to go with five strikeouts.