The Sundown Roughnecks and Smyer Bobcats split their two games this past week for the start of district play in UIL Baseball action where Smyer won on Saturday and Sundown won on Monday.
Smyer 4, Sundown 3
For both teams matchup on Saturday Smyer would be the visiting team taking the narrow win.
The first points in the game weren’t scored until the top of the second inning in the game when Smyer had three Bobcats walked in Kaden Price, Caleb Pearce and Mathue Corder from Sundown’s Caleb Clausen pitching. With all the bases loaded there was a balk by Clausen to send Price in with the other players advancing to third and second base making the score 1-0 Smyer leading.
Although it was a quiet game Sundown was able to get back onto the board to tie the game at the bottom of the fourth inning as Rayden Flores was able to hit a single on a line drive, then with Isaac Lopez at bat bunting the ball Flores stole second base and advanced to third off the bunt. To end of the drive Sundown’s Hunter Clark hit a single with a line drive to right field to send Flores home and Lopez to second base with the game tied 1-1.
The Bobcats were able to answer back as they had three runs go for them in the top of the fifth to take the 4-1 lead.
Aiden Martinez singled a fly ball to the center field to get a single, Skylar Pond then bunted out but not before Aiden was able to get to second base then take advantage of a passed ball to get to third base as Colton Burriss was able to hit a fly ball to left field and get Aiden Martinez in to make the score 2-1. With Burriss still at first base he stole second while Austin Martinez popped it out to first base, Burris wasn’t done though as he stole third base right after that as Price was walked. Finally a single from Bobcat Caleb Pearce off of a fly ball to right field sent in both Price and Burriss to put the game at 4-1 Smyer leading.
Sundown was able to stay in the game in the last inning of the game at the bottom of the seventh as Clausen was able to hit a fly ball into right field resulting in a double. Clausen was able to advance to third on a passed ball as Jaxon Rodriguez grounds out Clausen was able to get a run in.
Although it was a close game until the very end Sundown came up short and wasn’t be able to take the home win.
The starting Pitcher for the Bobcats Kaden Price led things off with seven hits and two runs (one earned) over six and onethird innings, striking out six and walking three.
Clausen for Sundown was on the mound first for the Roughnecks as he gave up five hits and three runs over four and one-third innings, striking out four and walking three.
For the Bobcats it was Burriss who went 2-for-4 at the plate to lead Smyer in hits. Pearce led the team with two runs batted in while Burriss stole two bases.
For the Roughnecks Clausen and Clark each collected two hits for Sundown. Rodriguez and Clark each drove in one run for Sundown.
Sundown 9, Smyer 2
For both teams’ second matchup they played at Smyer where Sundown would win this matchup pretty handedly 9-2 as Jayson Martinez collected three hits in five at bats.
The Roughnecks were the first team on the board in the sixth inning after a wild pitch scored one run from Caleb Clausen.
Their lead would be short lived as Sundown would committ an error which helped the Smyer Bobcats tie the game at one in the bottom of the sixth.
Sundown was able to take the lead back in the top of the eighth after Hunter Clark hit a sacrifice fly, scoring one run to give the Roughnecks the 2-1 lead.
The Bobcats would not go away though as Austin Martinez hit a sacrifice ball which helped the Bobcats tie the game at 2-2.
The Roughnecks would be able to take complete control of the game at the very end as they scored seven runs on four hits to take the 9-2 lead at the top of the ninth. The biggest blow in the inning was a bunt from Rayden Flores that drove in two runs.
Pitching for the Sundown Roughnecks was Jaxon Rodriguez, he struck out 12 batter on the day with seven hits and two runs over eight innings while walking two. In relief for Rodriguez it would be Isaac Lopez who allowed zero hits and zero runs over the last inning of the game.
For the Bobcats pitching was Austin Martinez as he started he allowed two hits and one run over five and two-thirds innings, striking out nine and walking three.
Flores and Martinez each drove in two runs for Sundown, Landry Farrar collected two hits for Sundown at six at bats and Lopez led the Roughnecks with three walks. Farrar and Martinez both stole multiple bases in their contest. The Roughnecks were able to run wild on the base paths, as they collected six stolen bases for the game.
For the Bobcats Austin Martinez led the team with three hits in four at bats and with one run batted in. Burriss collected two hits for the Bobcats in four at bats.
The Sundown Roughnecks progress to 4-4 on the season starting off district play with a 1-1 record as they get ready to face off against the Ropes Eagles this Friday as the visiting team.
For the Smyer Bobcats they will progress to 4-2 on the season with a district record of 1-1 as they will get ready to face off against the Tahoka Bulldogs this Friday as the visiting team as well.