Texas team puts on hitting display at HSV

HOT SPRINGS VILLAGE — A Texas baseball team flexed its hitting muscles in Garland County.

The Texarkana, Texas, Indians blasted 22 hits, including six for extra bases, against seven Hot Springs Village pitchers ( one each inning) in a 20- 5 American Legion romp Thursday night at Paul Bewie Boys & Girls Club. The scheduled nine- inning game was stopped after seven under the run rule.

“The only thing I can say is they hit the crap out of the ball,” HSV coach Justin Gregory said. “It was one of those nights. ... Nothing was soft. They squared everything up and, wow. There’s not much you can do about that.”

The loss kept HSV winless after nine games going into its 2012 Baseball Bash. The host team played Sheridan Friday night, the two- site ( Paul Bewie

and Hot Springs Boys & Girls Club) tournament continuing today and Sunday. HSV plays at 11 a. m ( Paul Bewie) or noon ( Hot Springs) today, depending on Friday’s outcome.

The Indians’ ambush began with a nine- run first inning and was capped by Jim Cunningham’s two- run home run in the seventh. Five Texarkana players had at least three hits, Jordan Burt going 4- for- 4, Jared Kirkland, Trey Endsley and Ryan Hunter each 3- for- 4 and Matthew Lusk 3- for- 5. Burt and Kirkland each drove in three runs.

“We’re a good- hitting team. We’re a good defensive team,” Texarkana coach Carl Smith said.

Davis Wilson’s two- run triple was the first of Texarkana’s six straight first- inning hits, Kirkland, Lusk, pitcher Peyton Stover and Cunningham adding RBI singles. A run scored on Hunter Lewis’ fielder’s- choice grounder before Burt’s double capped the outburst.

Michael Mendez pulled HSV to 9- 2 in the bottom of the first with the first of his two homers. He added a solo shot in the seventh off an extra- slow changeup from Burt, who relieved Stover in the sixth.

“Mendez continues to crush the ball, even when they throw him an Eephus pitch,” Gregory said. “You don’t see too many guys get out on their front leg and hit the ball out of the park.”

The Southern Arkansas University signee who hit .566 as a Jessieville High senior has five home runs in legion play, and had 11 hits in 14 at- bats entering Friday.

“He’s finally learning pitch selection,” Gregory said. “Over the last few years he’d swing at anything not to walk. That’s going to help him out at the next level tremendously. You just can’t get him out.”

Chase Anderson drove in HSV’s other two runs on a second- inning single and fourth- inning groundout, Tyler Robertson scoring both after reaching on an error and single. Anderson was 2- for- 4 and Robertson, Hunter Mayfield and Dillon Brown each 1- for- 3.

Texarkana scored four runs in the second ( six hits), two in the third with the help of two HSV errors and three in the fourth ( four hits). Brown, James Cooper, Cole Jones and Dillon Anderson pitched the first four innings for HSV.

“We’d get a 0- 2 count and serve ( a pitch) up,” Gregory said. “You can’t throw that pitch for a strike. You’ve got to get them to fish at it. ... That’s going to come with more innings pitched.”

Stover went five innings, allowing four runs and eight hits. He struck out three, with no walks.

“He threw a good game,” Smith said. “You’ve got to throw strikes when you’re out there.”

Burt allowed Mendez’s second homer but struck out five with a walk.

After Texarkana piled up 18 runs in the first four innings, Colby Spoon and Mendez each threw a hitless inning. Mendez struck out two of the three batters he faced.

“That was good to see, because he’s been struggling with command of his pitches,” Gregory said. “We need him on the mound.”