Kingwood Defeats Humble

Clinches 22-5A Championship

With 2 Games Remaining

There would be no delays from Mother Nature or power outages Friday night as the Kingwood Mustangs beat the Humble Wildcats for the District 22-5A Championship with 2 district games remaining.

The first 4 ½ innings were played to a 0-0 score as Kingwood’s, Zack Tumlinson, undefeated in district play, scattered three hits over these five frames.

Kingwood would draw first blood in the bottom of the 5^th inning. Sophomore rightfielder, Doug Simmons, walked to start the bottom of the 5^th inning. Junior Bruce Williams came on to run for him. After a strikeout, Junior first baseman, Austin Wood, doubled into the rightfield corner, which moved Williams to third. Lead off hitter Senior infielder, Greg Gossett, following Wood, singled home Williams with the game’s first run. Junior second baseman, Josh Fountain, following Gossett, laced a base hit to score Wood and Junior shortstop, Johnny Whittleman, was walked to load the bases. Following another strikeout, Senior catcher, Andrew Brooks, blasted a clutch two out double into the left centerfield gap to clear the bases as Gossett, Fountain, and Whittleman all scored, making the score after 5 full innings, Mustangs 5 – Wildcats 0.

Humble would claw its way back in the top of the 6^th. A walk, a hit batter, another walk, another hit batter, and three base hits would leave the score tied after 5 ½ innings, 5-5.

Simmons would ignite the Mustangs again in the bottom of the 6^th with a line drive double into the right field corner off Humble’s Coburn, who came on to relieve the Cat’s starter Ruffin in the 5^th inning with 2 outs. Following another strikeout and ground out, lead off hitter Gossett, was at the plate. Gossett ripped another line drive into the rightfield corner for a double that scored Senior outfielder, Steffen Savarino, who had come on to run for Simmons (Savarino would play right field in the top of the 7^th inning), to put the Mustangs on top for good. Fountain traded places with Gossett with a double into the right centerfield gap that would make the score 7-5 as Gossett crossed the plate. That was all Senior righthander, Jimmy Jordan, would need with the reliable infield of Gossett, Whittleman, and Fountain behind him he ended the game with a ground ball out to each of them throwing to first baseman Wood.

Zack Tumlinson pitched 5 1/3 innings giving up 3 hits and 3 runs earning a no decision despite a fine outing.

Jimmy Jordan would get the win pitching 1 2/3 innings giving up 3 hits and 2 runs. Humble’s Coburn would get the loss.

Offensively for Kingwood:

Gossett 2-4, double – 2 runs, 2 RBI’s

Brooks 1-2, on base 2-3, HBP, 3 RBI’s

Fountain 2-4, double, 1 run, 2 RBI’s

Simmons 1-2, double, on base 2-3, walk

Negron 1-2, on base 2-3, HBP

Wood 1-3, double, 1 run scored

Whittleman 2 walks, 1 run scored

2 runs scored by Williams and Savarino as pinch runners (Simmons reinserted after Williams running left game when Savarino came on to pinch run and play right field in the 7^th inning)