Carthage 3 Liberty Eylau 1

[txkmom]

LE had 5 errors and cold bats, used pitchers 2,3,4 in a plan to hold each one to a certain number of pitches. Carthage used pitchers 1 and 2 and looked good. LE was up 1-0, then let it get away from them. Good game, though. I will post the Gazette story later - pretty fair assessment of the game.

[txkmom]

Leopards fall in opener, 3-1
Tuesday, February 20, 2007 8:35 AM CST

By LOUIE AVERY
Texarkana Gazette

Top-ranked Liberty-Eylau and Carthage treated several college and professional scouts to a five-inning gem Monday night at H.E. Markham Park.

However, the final two innings turned into a nightmare for the defending 3A state champions, who committed five errors in the sixth and seventh frames as the Bulldogs rallied to beat L-E, 3-1.

“Our pitching was pretty good, the defense was terrible, and we didn’t hit,” L-E coach Rick Fowler said. “We’ve got to get better. We played five good innings, and then they found our weak spots. I hope this is a lesson, we’ve got no reason to hang our heads. We’re not that bad.”

L-E took a 1-0 lead into the sixth when Carthage’s Garrett Smith lofted a shallow fly to right. The ball was dropped for a three-base error, and Smith continued home when the relay to third sailed high for another error.

The Bulldogs’ decisive rally in the seventh was ignited by ninth-place hitter Cody Whitaker, who singled to left off losing hurler Eric Wells. One out later an infield error had runners at first and second. Winning pitcher Chris Tate followed with a grounder to shortstop, which was fielded cleanly by senior Will Middlebrooks. His throw to third was not caught, allowing Whitaker to score the winning run.

Another infield error and sacrifice fly by Garrett Smith made it 3-1.

“Our kids played well defensively,” winning coach Shawn Schumacher said. “When you come to Liberty-Eylau you better played good defense. Sometimes that’s not enough.

“Our kids are very competitive. We played well, and I was very impressed with Liberty’s pitching. All of their pitchers threw their off-speed stuff for strikes. I doubt if we threw seven curveballs all night.”

Tate, who fastball was clocked consistently in the upper 80s, held L-E hitless the final three innings, walking two and striking out five.

Junior left-hander David Jackson started on the mound for the Bulldogs. The only hit he allowed was a first-inning single to center by junior second baseman Acie Hollins. Jackson walked three and struck out five.

Junior left-hander David Jackson started on the mound for the Bulldogs. The only hit he allowed was a first-inning single to center by junior second baseman Acie Hollins. Jackson walked three and struck out five.

All three of Jackson’s free passes came in the third inning when the Leopards scored their only run.

Jackson, who was also throwing in the upper 80s, walked Patrick Dukes, Zach Fowler and Hollins in succession. Middlebrooks crushed a 1-2 offering to deep center, but a strong wind allowed Garrett Smith to chase the drive down, limiting Middlebrooks to a sacrifice fly.

The only hard hit off Tate was by Middlebrooks in the sixth, a line drive caught near the right field fence by Jonathan Baker.

Fowler started on the mound for the Leopards and held Carthage scoreless for three innings, allowing one hit and striking out four. He was replaced in the fourth by senior Stedmon Dewberry after throwing 60 pitches.

Dewberry pitched himself out of jams in the fourth and fifth.

A single and wild pitch had a Carthage baserunner at second with nobody out in the fourth, but Dewberry escaped with two ground balls and a strikeout.

Carthage had runners at second and third with nobody out in the fifth after a single, hit batsman and passed ball. The runners held on a grounder to short, and Dewberry followed with his second strikeout. Baker lined a one-hopper that Middlebrooks back-handed and threw to first to end the inning.

L-E will be back in action Thursday against Daingerfield and Henderson in its own tournament. (wood bat 1st 2 days)

Carthage 000 001 2 — 3 5 0

Liberty-Eylau 001 000 0 — 1 1 5

David Jackson, Chris Tate (5) and Logan Joiner; Zach Fowler, Stedmon Dewberry (4), Eric Wells (6) and Clay Jeffirs. WP-Tate (1-0); LP-Wells (0-1).