By: Justin Hargrove, Assistant Athletic Director
Rains forced the Northeast Texas Community College series with Navarro to undergo changes this past week. NTCC was to host Navarro on Thursday but rains on Wednesday made the field unplayable so the Eagles traveled to Navarro on Friday for the first two games of the series. NTCC and Navarro still had to make up a game from the first round when they lost out on games due to weather as well. Navarro won game one of the day 5-2 and then took game two 10-5.
Despite 10 hits in the game the Eagles offense were not able to capitalize on out hitting Navarro in game one. NTCC would get on the board first in the top of the first when Luke McBride (Nashville, AR HS) doubled and later scored on a single by Sawyre Thornhill (Huntington HS) to give the Eagles a 1-0 lead.
Navarro answered back with two runs in the bottom of the first to bring the score to 2-1 Bulldogs. Both teams would go scoreless in the second and third innings before both scored one run each in the fourth. Nico Baumbach (Euless Trinity HS) cut into the lead in the fourth when he blasted a solo homerun to tie the game at 2-2.
Navarro scored one run in the bottom of the fourth to regain the lead 3-2. Navarro would add two final runs in the sixth inning and the Eagles went scoreless after the fourth and the Bulldogs held on to win 5-2.
Chance Bolter (Plano HS) got the start for NTCC and went five innings giving up three runs on five hits with two strikeouts and two walks. Chase Richter (Cypress Woods HS) pitched one inning of relief for the Eagles in game one.
In game two of the day, NTCC would again out hit Navarro 9-8 but would lose the game 10-5 due to errors and well timed hits.
Navarro plated three runs in the first, two runs in the fifth, and one run in the sixth to lead 6-0 before NTCC got going in the seventh inning. The Eagles would score four runs, all with two outs, in the inning to cut the lead to 6-4.
The Eagle rally started when Jake Chapman (Boerne HS) singled to left followed by a double from Cameron Loy (Mansfield HS). Kade Wood (Atlanta HS) followed that up with a single to right to keep things going. Khalon Clayton (Kilgore HS) reached when he was hit by the pitch to load the bases for Cole Modgling (Medina Valley HS) to clear the bases when he doubled to right field.
The Bulldogs scored four runs in the bottom of the eighth to pull away from NTCC. The Eagles tried to mount a comeback in the top of the ninth when Clayton singled with one out and then stole second base. Luke McBride would drive in the final run of the game when singled to right field to bring the score to 10-5.
Mikel Howell (Huntsville HS) would start for NTCC and go six innings before giving way to Justin Lambright (Trenton HS). The two pitchers would combine to strikeout seven, walk four and give up eight hits with only five of the 10 runs scored counting as earned runs due to errors in the field.
