‘DOGS RUN-RULE GILMER | …and honor the seniors

Kilgore seniors (from left) Jordan Pierce, Tate Truman, Aiden Domorad, Todd House and Cade Henry were honored prior to the Diamond ‘Dogs home game against Gilmer at Driller Park Friday night, and it was also Kigore Boys Baseball Association night, as the young players got to run onto the field with Kilgore’s starting lineup. Then afterward, KHS proceeded to run-rule the Buckeyes, 14-0, for another District 17-4A win. The Bulldogs will host Henderson on Tuesday. (Photo by LORI TRUMAN – SPECIAL TO ETBLITZ.COM)

Kilgore’s Tate Truman went three-for-four, and Todd House and Colt Bullard combined to drive in seven runs as the Bulldogs run-ruled Gilmer 14-0 on Friday night at historic Driller Park.

It was senior night, and the five Diamond ‘Dogs seniors (House, Truman, Cade Henry, Jordan Pierce and Aiden Domarad) were recognized with their families prior to the beginning of the ballgame.

And it was also KBBA night in which all the boys’ baseball players in attendance wearing their team’s uniforms were able to take the field with the Kilgore starters when the starters were introduced prior to the game.

Lots of runs and a lot of offense, but there was some very good pitching as well – at least for the Bulldogs – as Kilgore improved to 7-2 in District 17-4A play and 15-6-1 overall.

The Kilgore win along with Spring Hill’s 2-1 victory over Carthage in Carthage drops the Dawgs to 7-2 also, and into a tie with Kilgore, a game behind the Panthers in district play.  

Kolton Hale and reliever Salvador Cervantes combined to three-hit the visiting Buckeyes. Hale collected his fifth win (5-1) of the season, limiting Gilmer to two hits, and striking out six in four innings.

Cervantes worked the final frame, allowing a two-out single to Klein Lindsey, and striking out Dillon Griffin to end the contest.

House did his damage with a three-run single and a sacrifice fly, meanwhile Bullard had a sacrifice fly, a single and a run-scoring groundout.

Eight different Bulldogs had at least one hit. Beets and Tucker-Phillips had two hits apiece.

The Dogs got on the scoreboard with two runs in the bottom of the first inning on an infield single by Truman and a couple of Gilmer errors. Colt Bullard’s sacrifice fly to Gilmer centerfielder Justin Jones scored House, who reached on an error to open the inning. Tanner Beets, who walked, came around and scored on the second error of the inning.

Kilgore added to its lead, batting around and scoring seven runs in the second inning. Jackson Tucker-Phillips opened with a single, the first of six hits in the inning. Joining the designated-hitter with hits were House, Tanner Beets, Truman, Colt Bullard and Hale. House singled in three runs, Truman one, Bullard one and Hale one as Kilgore stretched its lead to 9-0.

With six runs in in the second inning and only one out, the Buckeyes brought in Aiden Davis in relief of starter Ryan Lange.

The Driller Boys touched Davis for six runs in 2-2/3 innings, adding two runs on three hits in the third, and three runs on three hits in the fourth.

Beets and Truman delivered back-to-back one-out singles to set the stage for a Bullard RBI groundout, and Pierce’s well-hit ball to centerfield to score Truman, the Kilgore third baseman, in the third inning.

Tucker-Phillips got things going again in the fourth with a double down the third-base line for his second hit of the game. He eventually scored on Henry’s single. Cason Edney then singled and scored on House’s sacrifice fly for the first out of the inning. Beets then grounded out, delivering the final run of the game for the Bulldogs as Henry raced home.

Grayson Bates doubled in the first, Jones singled in the second off Hale and the final Buckeyes’ hit came on a two-out Lindsey single in the top of the fifth.

The win gives Kilgore a three-game sweep of the Buckeyes, who drop to 0-9 and 2-17, respectively.

The Bulldogs and Buckeyes continue district play next week. Kilgore hosts Henderson on Tuesday and visits the Lions on Friday, while the Buckeyes travel to Carthage on Tuesday and host the ‘Dawgs on Friday.