The Thrall Tigers (19-7-1 overall, 12-2 District 27-2A) managed just two hits Tuesday in their game with Bartlett, and had to overcome five errors to top the Bulldogs (1214-1, 5-9) 3-1.
Thrall got on the board first. Jack Watson hit a routine infield grounder, but Bartlett’s shortstop had trouble handling the ball. By the time the Bulldogs got things under control, Watson was standing at third. One out later, Weston Smiley hit a sacrifice fly to center field to score Watson.
Bartlett responded with a run in the bottom of the first to tie the score. The Bulldogs took advantage of a pair of singles and two Thrall errors to push their only run across.
The score remained tied at one apiece until the top of the fifth inning when the Tigers tallied another run to take the lead for good. Jaden Rodriguez and Anthony Sandoval reached on a pair of Bartlett errors and a two-out single to left field by Watson scored Rodriguez from third to make the score 2-1.
The Tigers added an insurance run in the seventh. Ty Bradford led off the inning with a double to left. He moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on Carter Bradford’s sacrifice fly to center to push the lead to 3-1.
Bartlett put a pair of runners on with one out in the bottom half of the seventh, but Sandoval, who came in as relief for Maverick McAllister, struck out the final two batters to seal the victory for the Tigers. McAllister got the win, allowing one run on four hits through six and onethird innings of work.
The Tigers will be off until Friday, April 26, when they host the Chilton Pirates in their last home game of the season. They will complete the regular season portion of their schedule on April 27 on the road at Rosebud-Lott. The Tigers remain one game behind districtleading Thorndale in the race for the title.
