Bulldogs shut out Broncos

Win guarantees Texarkana spot in Legion state tournament

Everything came together for the Guaranty

Bond Bank Texarkana Bulldogs baseball team

Monday.

Jake Thompson threw a one-hitter, went 5 1/3 innings, did not allow a run, struck out seven, and walked five as the Bulldogs shut out the East Texas Broncos, 15-0, at George Dobson Field in Game 2 of a best-of-three American Legion playoff series.

“Thompson pitched well, just as he has pitched all year,” Bulldog head coach Kevin Sutton said.

Texarkana knocked out 17 hits as Jacoby Ross, Jakob Hearne, Bryan Moore and Triston Brooks had three hits each.

“They played like I expected them to play,” Sutton said. “I knew they would play hard, and the game is a rivalry between the two in-town legion teams.”

With the win, Texarkana clinched a spot in the American Legion state tournament in Brenham, Texas, which starts July 26. Games will be played at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., with teams to be determined. The tournament will be played until Saturday.

“The guys are excited about going to the state tournament,” Sutton said. “If we win state, we will get to go to Colorado and play in regionals.”

Sunday, the Bullodgs rolled past the Broncos 20-6 in Game 1. Winning pitcher Rory Baugus pitched a complete game of seven innings, allowed six runs on eight hits, and struck out 11 Bronco batters.

Hearne smacked a one-run single with the bases loaded in the first for Texarkana. A batter later, Rodrigo Zaldivar punched a double into left center, as three runs scored to make it 4-0.

The Bulldogs tacked on a run in the third, but had a five-run fourth frame. Chris Sutton walked, Ross singled past the shortstop and Chris Lyles hit an RBI single up the middle. Hearne hit an RBI single—as did Moore, Thompson and Brooks—to make it 10-0.

Texarkana added a run in the sixth on an error and scored four in the final frame.

Ross hit an infield single and stole second base for the Bulldogs. Connor Allred laced in an RBI single to left center. Allred scored on Moore’s infield single, and Hearne, who had singled up the middle, scored on an error.

Brooks hit a Texas Leaguer to right as Moore came around to score to make it 15-0.

Hayden Hackett came in to pitch for Texarkana, throwing 1 2/3 innings and striking out the side in the bottom of the seventh.

Bulldogs 401 501 4—15 17 2 Broncos 000 000 0—0 2 4

Jake Thompson, Hayden Hackett (6) and Triston Brooks. Carter Duncan, Dylan Pool (3) and Branson Wilson. WP-Thompson. LP-Duncan.