‘DOGS WIN SALOON FIGHT AT DRILLER | Bullard homers as Kilgore takes out Gilmer, 16-13
Gilmer Buckeyes in a District 17-4A game at Driller Park on Tuesday afternoon. Kilgore won a wild one, beating the Buckeyes, 16-13.
(Photo by DENNIS JACOBS – ETBLITZ.COM)
They say don’t turn a bull loose in a china shop. Here’s a tip: don’t turn one loose in a baseball park, either.
Colt Bullard delivered in a big way Tuesday afternoon, leading Kilgore High School to a just-as-wild-as-it-sounds 16-13 victory over Gilmer at historic Driller Park.
Bullard hit a grand slam, highlighting an eight-run fifth inning as the Diamond ‘Dogs rallied from a deficit for a comeback win to stay unbeaten 2-0 in District 17-4A play, improving to 10-4-1 overall.
The Kilgore first baseman had an infield hit and a sacrifice fly, besides his big slam against the Buckeyes, who suffered their seventh loss in a row, dropping to 0-2 against the district and 2-10 for the season.
The teams combined for 29 runs and 23 hits in a game that lasted almost three hours. Seven pitchers saw action, with Kilgore’s Todd House drawing the starting nod against Gilmer’s Braydon Pate.
Klein Lindsey (1 2/3 innings), Harrison Lofton (2/3) and Lathan Kemp (1) worked in relief for the Buckeyes, with Lindsey shouldering the loss.
Kolton Hale (1/3) and Tate Truman followed House with Truman collecting the win, going the final 3 2/3 innings. Truman allowed four runs on five hits, striking one and walking one.
Neither team scored in the first, but they made up for it, beginning in the second inning.
Gilmer took advantage of an infield error followed by Braydon Pate’s one-out single to right field, scoring Justin Jones and giving the Buckeyes a 1-0 lead. Lofton’s two-out single down the line to left field plated Ryder Lange.
Kilgore answered with five in the bottom half of the inning. A two-run Tanner Beets single highlighted a three-hit inning by the Bulldogs. Joining Beets with hits were House and Jordan Pierce. A couple of Buckeye errors also figured in the inning.
The Diamond ‘Dogs extended their lead to four with a run in the bottom of the third as Cade Cox coaxed a walk from Pate, stole second and scored on House’s second hit of the contest, a double.
The Buckeyes then used an eight-run fourth to take a momentary (10-6) lead. A run of walks by House, the starting pitcher, loaded the bases and continued with reliever Hale before Truman entered to get the second and third outs of the frame. Besides five walks and three errors, two on one play, along with singles by Aron Bell, Dillon Griffin and Harrison Lofton benefitted the visitors.
Gilmer tacked on three runs in the sixth, after Kilgore answered with an eight-run inning of its own in the bottom of the fifth. The ‘Dogs’ big inning was highlighted by a Cade Henry single to left and Bullard’s slam over the left field fence. Joining Henry and Bullard with RBI in the inning were House and Edney.
Kilgore would add on with its final two runs in the sixth, a sacrifice fly from Bullard to score Beets and a run-scoring single by Joseph Hendrickson. Truman, Hendrickson and Cox contributed hits in the Bulldogs final at-bat.
The ‘Dogs are scheduled to visit Henderson to play the Lions on Friday at 2:30, following the junior varsity game at noon, while Gilmer returns home to entertain Carthage.