Dallas-Fort Worth Bears fall to D-FW Wildcats

One big inning was all it took for the Dallas-Fort Worth Wildcats to defeat the D-FW Bears and send the game of the Texas Junior American Legion state tournament into an extra game to decide the title.

The Wildcats erupted for nine runs after two outs in the second inning and went on to an 11-5 victory at George Dobson Field Saturday evening.

The Bears were undefeated coming into the game, and a victory would have given them the title in the double-elimination tournament.

Since the game ended at 10:45 p.m., it was decided to play the championship game Monday at Carrolton, Texas.

“When the Wildcats held a big lead in the middle of the game, I met with the coaches and asked them if they wanted to finish Saturday or finish Monday,” said Tournament Director Phillip Stover. “Since the teams had already played two or three games earlier Saturday, the coaches said it would be best to finish Monday.”

In the big nine-run second inning, the Wildcats banged out nine hits.

After the first two batters struck out, Pete Cariano kept inning alive with a double and Matt Eichstadt reached on an error.

Mason Ding then singled, Evan Wade

doubled, and Bryson Griffin was intentionally walked to load the bases.

Five base hits followed by Broden Fryer, Reid Riney, Kyle Guion, Daniel Miroochna, and Jaycob Thomson before Cariano was hit by the pitch.

Eichstadt singled in the final run before Thomson was tossed out at the plate.

The Bears pulled within, 9-4, with two runs in the third inning.

After the Wildcats scored a run in the top of the fifth, the Bears had a potential big inning in the bottom half.

After the first batter was retired,

Griffin walked the next three batters on 12 straight balls. Eichstadt came on it relief, and Alex Martinez hit a line drive that Eichstadt grabbed and doubled off the runner at third to end the inning with no runs scored.