BULLDOGS BOW OUT | Bullard sends Kilgore out of postseason; senior class never missed it

Bullard defeated Kilgore on Wednesday night in game one of their University Interscholastic League Class 4A playoff series, and needed one more win to seal it.

They got that win Friday at Kilgore’s Driller Park, a 6-0 win that – while it was a shutout – wasn’t easily gained.

It ended Kilgore’s season with a 16-13-1 record, and allowed the Panthers (27-5-2) to advance to round two, or the area round, of the 4A postseason. Bullard will either face Bridge City or Liberty.

Kilgore loses five seniors: Aiden Domorad, Cade Henry, Todd House (below), Jordan Pierce and Tate Truman. More on the Bulldogs later.

As far as game two…

Bullard’s first inning looked like one of Kilgore’s on Wednesday night: just not much happening. Kilgore starter Kolton Hale wouldn’t allow it. He struck out Bullard Superman Ben Coke, the Panthers’ lead-off man, then got Dylan Malone to hit it right back to him (Hale). David Wilson, the Oklahoma-bound pitcher that held the Diamond ‘Dogs to one hit on Wednesday, flied out to Cason Edney in left field, ending the top of the first.

Truman, who broke up Wilson’s no-hit bid in game one, had a two-out single off Korenek in the bottom of the first, but the Bulldogs couldn’t manage any further offense, and off to the second inning we went.

The Panthers, whose lineup seemed to be able to do no wrong Wednesday, couldn’t find the ball, really, in the second inning, either. Chase Randall hit it right back to Hale, as did Jachan Salas, easy outs. And Dylan Fowler popped up right to Truman at third. Truman had to look up into the sun, but fielded it for out three.

With one out in the books, Jordan Pierce was hit by a pitch, and Hale came to the plate, but he hit to the shortstop, who was able to turn the double play for three outs, keeping the game scoreless.

Hale got Reed Overbeek to fly out to Cade Henry in center field for the first out of the Panthers’ third inning, but walked Jackson Holt. No biggie: he struck out Noah Lock, and then got big-gun Coke to fly out to center field to end any threat.

Kilgore threatened in the bottom of the third. With two outs, Todd House smacked a double into left, and Tanner Beets was hit by a pitch. But Korenek was able to get Truman to fly out, and Bullard escaped, keeping the game scoreless.

The Panthers broke through, as mentioned, in the top of the fourth. Dylan Malone singled, and after Wilson popped out to Cason Edney in foul territory near third base, Randall hit a ball to left center, into the sun, and reached on an error. Salas followed and managed an RBI single (1-0 Bullard), then went to second on throw to home that attempted to get Malone out.

Fowler was next and hit a 2-RBI double that scored both Randall and Salas. Hale got Overbeek to pop up and out to Beets at second base for out two, and after walking Holt, he struck out Lock to get out of the inning.

Not before Bullard got in the lead, though, 3-0.

Edney smacked a single into shallow center, just under the glove of Korenek, trying to get a KHS rally started in the bottom of the fourth. But nothing doing, as Korenek and Bullard’s defense clamped down and ended the inning.

In the top of the fifth, Bullard would plate another run. Coke reached on an error and then Malone reached on an fielder’s choice when the Bulldogs elected to try and keep Coke from scoring.

Coke, though, was caught in a run-down between third and home, and tagged out in Wilson’s at-bat, but Malone would score on a sacrifice fly by Randall (4-0 Bullard).

Hale got Salas to ground out to end the inning.

In the bottom of the fifth, House got a two-out single, but Kilgore couldn’t rally, and again Bullard finished the Bulldogs up.

Truman put on a defensive clinic in the top of the sixth, turning around and snagging a ball at third base that would have gotten by him and into left field without the spin move. And not only did he make the move – he turned sharply and threw Dylan Fowler out to Colt Bullard at first.

Then, on the next at-bat, Reed Overbeck turned on a ball and hit a line drive right at Truman at third – Truman managed to snag it, for the second out.

The Bulldogs wouldn’t get out unscathed, though, as the Panthers would add a couple of runs. Jackson Holt was hit by a pitch and Noah Lock walked. Truman came on to pitch and Coke walked, as well. Malone reached on an error and two runs came around to score before the ‘Dogs could get the ball back in.

That would be the final run of the game.

Truman had a single in the first; House had a double in the third and single in the fifth; and Edney had a single in the fourth.

For the Bulldogs on the mound, Hale went 5 2/3 innings and had three strikeouts and walked three. Truman pitched 1 1/3 and allowed a walk.

Kilgore’s seniors, though, go out with this legacy: they go out having never missed the playoffs. They had a heck of a showing in 2022, beating Pleasant Grove and Kaufman before bowing out in round three to Spring Hill.

Coach Eugene Lafitte, who has over 400 wins and has had unbelievable success at Kilgore, left for what turned out to be just a season, but the Bulldogs reached the playoffs last year, losing to Bullard in the first round.

Lafitte came back to KHS and the program – the program he led within one playoff series win of the state tournament in 2018, and DID guide to the state tournament in 2019 – this year, and Kilgore, with a young nucleus, got back to the postseason.

There’s plenty of room to get better, but there’s also plenty of talent.

Catcher Joseph Hendrickson is a junior and was banged up for the playoffs, and couldn’t play in the series against Bullard – the Panthers didn’t have to see Hendrickson’s arm, his abilities or his bat. They were fortunate in that regard.

Hendrickson will return next season, for his senior year, as will infielder / pitcher Tanner Beets, Jackson Tucker Phillips, and Cade Cox, also all juniors. Then, there’s a sophomore class as talented as any class that’s ever came through KHS: Brodey Benson, Kayson Brooks, Colt Bullard, Cason Edney, Kolton Hale, Brayden Hargrove, and Kason Henry, and a freshman, Kaeson Clayton, that’s already been playing on varsity.

That doesn’t even count the players who have been on JV Red and JV White, and the other freshmen.

Joining Lafitte on Kilgore’s staff this season were coaches Joey Pippen, Braden Robey and Jackson Nichols.