TATUM BOWS OUT | Gunter advances to UIL 3A Region II final
Tatum High School baseball once again had a fantastic run into the fourth round of the University Interscholastic League Class 3A playoffs, but it came to an end Wednesday night at Dallas Baptist University, again in a loss to Gunter.
Gunter, which hasn’t lost all season, was on the verge of it until they had a breakthrough inning in the top of the fifth, transforming a game that was tied at 2 into a Tigers’ lead. Gunter took control of the contest, and ultimately won, 9-2 – the final score was not indicative of the game. Tatum gave the Tigers their toughest test of the season.
Gunter (35-0) moves on to face the Harmony-Boyd winner in the UIL Class 3A Region II Finals, but that’s a best-of-three-game series, so Gunter will get a few days before that begins. The winner of the regional championship, of course, moves on to the state championship tournament in Austin.
For Tatum’s Eagles and coach Dustin Russell, that concludes the season, back-to-back seasons, in fact, with trips into the regional semifinals – round four – and a district championship. Tatum ends the season with a 22-10 record.
Seniors on the team are Ashby Anthony, Aidan Courtney, Carson Gonzalez, Kohen Kiefer, Jaxen Prince, and Cole Watson.
Tatum got on the scoreboard first. Carson Gonzalez, who had walked in the bottom of the first inning, advanced over on a double by catcher Grant Adcock, then scored on a sacrifice fly by Dustin Henigan, who actually had both of Tatum’s RBI in the game.
Gunter would tie it up in the top of the third. Colson Wood led off with a double, then scored on an RBI single by Cade Dodson.
Working on the mound as starters for Tatum and for Gunter, respectively, were Gonzalez (9-0) and Jake Ivey, a left-hander.
After that single, Tatum shut it down. Carter Layton reached on a fielder’s choice when he placed the ball right where Dodson would be put out at second base. Jordan Villagrana, who would play a key role in the game later, hit a ball into foul territory that was caught by Tatum first baseman Brody Downs; and then Walker Overman hit a ball that Tatum shortstop Cooper Whiteus easily fielded and tossed to Downs for out three.
The game had two lightning delays: right from the jump, a 30-minute delay before it even began, pushing it to a 5:30 start, then again in the middle of the third inning, right before Tatum was to take the plate in the bottom of the third.
And that one lasted a while, about an hour and a half, before the Eagles got their third inning at-bat, with the teams tied at 1-all.
When play resumed, in the bottom of the fourth, Tatum would re-claim the lead. Kiefer walked, then advanced on a bunt laid down by Whiteus.
Gonzalez drew a walk, as well, and Adcock flied out – but Henigan followed with an RBI single that plated Kiefer, and put Tatum back in front, 2-1, before Ivey and the Tigers could end the inning.
The Eagles’ advantage didn’t last long; Gunter would tie things again in the top of the fourth. Anthony, who was lights-out against West Rusk last week, came onto the hill for Tatum.
With an out in the books, Brooks Griggs-Bell would get a single. Then Cam Doty put a ball in play that Tatum second baseman Kody Hines flipped up to Whiteus – Whiteus made the play at second to get Griggs-Bell out, although Doty reached on a fielder’s choice.
Still, though, Gunter would get the game-tying score. Brock Boddie would follow with a single, and then Wood another, an RBI single that scored Doty (2-2), and knotted the game. Hines caught a ball hit by Dodson in shallow center field for the third out to allow the Eagles to get out of the spot and keep the game tied at 2.
Tatum went 1-2-3 in the bottom of the fourth, though, and as things would play out, Gunter would take the lead for good in the top of the fifth.
Layton led off with a single, advanced on a bunt laid down by Villagrana, then came around to score on a single by Jared Wagner, putting the Tigers in front, 3-2.
Ivey sat the Eagles down by striking out the side in the bottom of the fifth, and in the top of the sixth was when Gunter did its real damage, blowing the game open by scoring five runs.
Tatum had two pitching changes in the inning, going to Cayden Tatum first, then back to Anthony, but four straight walks allowed a run to score (4-2 Gunter). The Eagles had a phenomenal double play – Whiteus fielded a double-steal attempt, threw to Adcock at home plate, then Adcock to Downs at first base – to get two.
But remember when we said Villagrana would come up big later in the game?
This was it.
He hit a 2-RBI triple, giving the Tigers a 6-2 lead, then scored when Overman put a ball in play and reached on an error (7-2 Gunter). The Tigers would get one more run in the inning: another run was walked in on a bases-loaded walk (8-2) before Boddie would hit a ball to Whiteus that he fielded and threw to Downs for the third out.
Tatum wouldn’t get any offense going in the bottom of the sixth, though – Ivey and the Gunter defense was tough, and didn’t allow a hit – and in the top of the seventh, the Tigers added another run. Dodson singled, and after back-to back outs and a walk, Overman hit an RBI single to score Dodson. Wagner flied out to left to end the top of the seventh.
In the bottom of the seventh, Ivey had two strikeouts, then Gunter’s coaching staff called for a pitching change, brought on Griggs-Bell, allowed him to pitch and get the final out of the game.
The 2024 Tatum High School baseball roster:
Cooper Whiteus, Carson Gonzalez, Grant Adcock, Dustin Henigan, Cole Watson, Cayden Tatum, Brody Downs, Ashby Anthony, Kody Hines, Kohen Kiefer, Jaxen Prince, Aidan Courney, Logan Cansler, Lannon Smith, Landon Brittain, Jacob Dygert, Tucker Anthony, Aldo Espinoza, and Tristen Berry.
Joining head coach Dustin Russell on the coaching staff are Adam Tubbleville and Dusty Weaver.