After leading most of the way through five innings, Caddo watched host Colbert rally in a huge final at bat to forge a 9-5 Bryan County Conference baseball win last week.
Both teams tallied eight hits in the contest, but it was timely hitting that provided the difference for the Leopards, who began the week ranked number one in the Class 2A Division 2 state rankings. Caddo is off to a good start as well in sitting sixth in Class A.
The Bruins got off to a quick lead in the contest, scoring once in the first frame after Jake McKay singled and eventually rode home on a Jake Mullens single. It was McKay again at the center of things in the third as he walked, advanced on a Colbert error and eventually scored on a passed ball.
Colbert got those two runs back just one frame later in cashing in a Caddo miscue as well as two-out single from Braydon Thompson.
Once again the Bruins answered in their half of the fifth by pushing across three tallies to surge back in front. A Jake Green two-run single provided the key blow for Caddo in the burst into the lead.
Coach Zach Crabtree’s squad responded with two of its own thanks in large part to a two-out single off the bat of Isaiah Lopez as well as a Kaden Neil double. Starting hurler Boen Proctor, however, came up huge in getting an inning-ending groundout with the bases loaded to preserve a one-run advantage.
Colbert reliever Brett Parsons yielded singles to McKay and Bayler Black in the top half of the frame but worked out of the jam unscathed while giving the Leopards the opportunity to rally.
A pair of walks got the rally going and Remington Graham delivered a game-tying
Colbert Leopard Isaiah Lopez slides into third base after he ran back while attempting to make it to home plate in the game with the Caddo Bruins. Shown in the middle is Leopards head coach Zach Crabtree.
single with one away. Lopez followed with a RBI hit to right field and eventually came around to score on a passed ball.
Run-scoring hits from Canon Marr and Eric Hokett tacked on two more insurance tallies which the Leopards would not need.
Parsons struck out three of the four hitters he faced in the seventh to preserve the victory.
Lopez had a huge game at the plate with three hits for Colbert as Graham, Neill, Marr, Hokett and Thompson all notched hits.
McKay was the offensive catalyst for Caddo with two of his team’s eight hits. Green had two hits and drove in a par while Black, Cale Wigington, Mullens, Jace Counce and Hayden Bush ended with one hit apiece.
