The Coahoma Bulldog Baseball team impresses in Post tournament going 3 and 1
The Coahoma Bulldog baseball team had a tournament in Post. The Bulldogs played four games over Friday and Saturday from this past weekend, Feb. 26-27. They went 3 and 1 during those four games. Making it a great performance by the team.
The Bulldogs opened up tournament play facing the Merkel Badgers Friday morning. It was Kobe Cervantes taking the bump to start the day of baseball. Cervantes allowed only one run in his time on the mound. Bryan Martinez was next to head to the mound, and the young Bulldog pitcher delivered. The Fireballer was on his game. He went five innings, allowing two runs on three hits, and had an amazing nine strikeouts in only five innings of work.
The Bulldogs would also deliver at the plate throughout the day. They put up one run in the first, then exploded for five runs in the bottom of the fourth. Billy Bailey would start the inning with a Hard hit Triple to centerfield; he was followed by Kolt Redden, who earned a walk. Billy Bailey then stole home, giving the Bulldogs the first lead of the game 2 to 1. Seth Brooks came up to the plate and smacked a hard hit double, scoring two runs. The Bulldogs would score two more runs in the inning, opening up a lead of 6 to 1. It was a lead they do not relinquish as they went on to win the first game of the day, 6 to 3.
The second game of the day pitted the Bulldogs against the Colorado City Wolves. It was a very hard-fought game, but the Bulldogs came up one run short in their comeback, losing a close one 7 to 6.
The Wolves would jump on the Bulldogs early in the game, scoring six runs in the game's first two innings. Despite being down early in the game, the Bulldogs showed that they have some bite of their own. The boys never gave up fighting and clawing their way right back into the game. In the end, the early lead was just too much, and the comeback effort fell a bit short. With that loss, the Bulldogs finished 1 and 1 in Friday games.
Saturday found the Bulldogs playing two more games on the day. The Colorado City game's sour taste was evident when they would open up play facing the Post Antelopes. The Bulldogs took out their frustration of the game before by crushing post 13 to 4.
Kolby Cervantes took to the mound, and the Bulldog pitched well. He went all three innings allowing three hits, four runs, and striking out six. Cervantes took charge early in the game and never looked back, not allowing the Antelopes to settle in a grove and get the bats working.
The Bulldogs bats were on fire from the very start of the game. As they would score two runs in each the first and second inning, opening a 4 to 1 lead. It was the third inning that the Bulldogs bats would go into overdrive as they put up nine runs in the inning. They would start the mammoth inning by Kolby Cervantes taking a walk which was a trend in the inning as the Bulldogs would earn seven walks in the inning. Two batters also reach by getting hit by pitch. The walks come from the patience at the plate that Coach Arista preaches to his team. Bryan Martines had a three-run double in the inning as well, and the Bulldogs blew the game open 13 to 1. Post would score three more runs but fell way short as the Bulldogs dominated every aspect of the game from start to finish.
In the final game of the day and tournament, The Bulldogs would face the Floydada Whirlwinds. The Bulldogs would earn yet another victory 6 to 7 in a close, exciting game that came down to the final at bat.
The Whirlwinds would put up the first run of the day as they scored in the top of the first inning. The Bulldogs answered right back, tying up the game after the first. Floydada scored again in the second and third, opening up a 4 to 2 lead after three innings of play. The whirlwinds then added two more runs in the top half of the fourth, increasing the lead to 6 to 2. The Bulldogs would answer the call scoring four runs in their half of the inning, tying the game at six, heading into the final inning. The Bulldogs shut Floydada down to have a chance to win the game in the bottom of the final inning of play. The pivotal inning started with Coahoma getting two quick outs, meaning the Bulldogs were down to their last out. Brenner Gartman stepped into the batters box and blasted a hard-hit single to get a runner on base. Seth Brooks stepped up to the plate with Gartman at first, knowing the game was in the balance. The young man delivered for his team. He sent a hot shot line drive to Centerfield; Gartamn raced around the bases and score the winning run, giving the Bulldogs the walk-off victory. With that victory, the Coahoma Bulldogs finished the weekend full of baseball, going 3 and 1. Bringing their season record to 3 and 2.
The Bulldogs will play the Ballinger Bearcats in Coahoma this Tuesday, March. 2. The JV will start at 5, followed by the Varsity at 7.
Dustin Pope is the Sports Writer for the Herald. To contact him e-mail sports@bigspringherald.com or call 432-263-7311.