Bulldogs fall to League City
Texarkana coach cites three errors ‘that cost us the game’
BRENHAM, Texas— Consistency paid off for League City.
The Texarkana Bulldogs fell to League City, 8-5, in an American Legion Texas state tournament game, in which the host team scored in all but one inning, at Fireman’s Park on Thursday.
Starting Bulldog pitcher Dakota Frachiseur took the loss, threw 94 pitches over five innings, gave up seven runs on eight hits, struck out four, walked two, and hit a batter.
“Errors were the difference in the game,” Texarkana head coach Kevin Sutton said. “We didn’t play defense like we did yesterday. We didn’t pitch great, but we pitched well enough to win. We hit better, and we hit well enough to win. But we made three errors that cost us the game.”
Chris Lyles led off with a single, and teammate Marzavin Riles followed with a single to put two on in the first for the Bulldogs.
Chris Sutton slapped a 2-run single to right field to give the Bulldogs the early lead.
League City responded with a run on a sacrifice fly to make it 2-1. League City knotted the game at 2-all in the second after a runner reached second after an error, stole third, and scored on a fielder’s choice.
The tie was broken by League City in the third when they put up two runs on three hits to make it 4-2.
Lyles, who had singled to right center, scored in the fourth for Texarkana on an error to inch the Bulldogs closer, 4-3.
Texarkana took its second lead of the game in the fifth frame. A dropped, tricky fly ball by League City scored T.J. Krause, who had singled, and Aaron Prince.
Prince came in to run for Tucker Anderson who walked. The runs gave The Bulldogs some momentum and a 5-4 lead.
League City responded with three runs on three hits and a Bulldog error to take a 7-5 lead after the fifth.
The Bulldogs failed to respond, and League City tacked on an insurance run in the sixth.
Dalton Stevens was the winning pitcher. He tossed 103 pitches over six innings, struck out five, walked two, hit a batter, and allowed five runs on six hits.
Texarkana faces the Bowie County Eagles in an elimination game today at 9 a.m. If the Bulldogs win, they will get a rematch with League City at 4 p.m.
Should the Bulldogs win both games today, they will force a winner-take-all championship game on Saturday.
“I tell the guys that we are still in it,” Sutton said. “I believe that we will make it to the championship game. We are going to keep playing ball; that’s it.”
Texarkana 200 120 0 — 5 6 3 League City 112 031 X — 8 9 4 Dakota Frachiseur, Brayden Ross (6), and Keaton Russo. Dalton Stevens, Garrett Poston (7), and Leo Lopez. WP-Stevens. LP-Frachiseur.