Tigers explode for four in fourth, reach finals

WHITEHOUSE, Texas—The sound of exploding fireworks that started in the fourth inning were premature.

Linden-Kildare’s Mason Johnson pitched a superb complete game 4-hitter as the Tigers cruised by Woden, 8-2, in Game 3 of a Class 2A regional semifinal baseball game at Whitehouse High School.

Linden-Kildare won Game 2, 9-6, earlier Saturday and punched its ticket into the Class 2A regional finals. The Tigers will face rival James Bowie in a Northeast Texas showdown.

Johnson threw 96 pitches in the win, struck out eight and walked three. He allowed just two runs, hit a batter, and tossed five straight scoreless innings.

Linden-Kildare plated four runs in the fourth frame behind three hits and two Eagle errors.

Courtesy runner Justin Dunlap, who was running for Deuce Schuler after he was hit by a pitch, and Johnson, who singled, were brought in by Caleb Cunningham’s 2-run triple to give the Tigers a 6-2 lead.

Colt Neville’s single made it 7-2 and another run later scored on an error to make it 8-2.

Dalton Alford walked to lead off the first for the Tigers. In a bizarre play, Schuler hit a ground ball. The throw to second by the third baseman hit the umpire, and L-K was in business with two on and no outs.

The Eagles’ shortstop committed a throwing error on a ground ball as two runs scored to put the Tigers on top, 2-0.

Gage Torbert’s 2-run single up the middle for Woden knotted it up at 2-all after the top of the second.

Chase Bynum hit a single to left with one out in the second for Linden-Kildare. Alford and Schuler each singled to load the bases. Bynum scored on a wild pitch to give the Tigers a 3-2 lead.

Cunningham, who beat out a throw to first for a single, scored on an Eagle error as Linden-Kildare took a 4-2 lead in the third.

Woden 020 000 0 — 2 4 4 Linden-Kildare 211 400 X — 8 7 1 Caleb Graves, Luke Alvis (4) and Khristan Goree. Mason Johnson and Deuce Schuler. WP-Johnson. LP-Graves.