The Thrall Tigers varsity baseball team’s comeback bid fell short in a 5-4 loss to the Caldwell Hornets on Tuesday, March 17.
Trailing by five runs early, the Tigers mounted a rally with four runs in the fifth inning but were unable to complete the comeback over the final two innings.
Cannon Seaton got the start on the mound for Thrall and struggled to find a rhythm, pitching two innings and allowing five runs on eight hits without recording a strikeout.
Caldwell jumped out to an early lead in the first inning with a solo home run, followed by an RBI double to make it 2-0. The Hornets added three more runs in the second inning, stringing together consecutive singles to extend the lead to 5-0.
After the rough start, Witten Hammitt came on in relief in the third inning and provided a strong outing. Hammitt kept the Hornets off the scoreboard, allowing just two hits while striking out two over the remainder of the game. His performance gave the Tigers a chance to climb back into contention.
Thrall’s offense broke through in the fifth inning. Jack Gustafson delivered a two-RBI double to spark the rally, while a hit-bypitch and an RBI single from Kaylen Bow helped trim the deficit to 5-4.
Despite the momentum, the Tigers were unable to push across the tying run. Thrall went scoreless in the sixth inning and had one final opportunity in the seventh. With runners on first and second and two outs, Bryce Brinkmeyer lifted a flyout to end the game and seal the win for Caldwell.
The loss continues a difficult stretch for the Tigers, who have struggled to find consistency early in the season. Thrall, coming off last year’s state championship run, now sits at 4-9-1 overall and 0-2 in district play after being swept by Franklin the previous week.
The Tigers looked to bounce back in a nondistrict matchup against Fayetteville on Friday before returning to district play March 24, when they host Rogers at 7 p.m.
