Kingwood Wins 13^th Straight Game

Goes 7-0 to Lead District 22-5A

Kingwood faced the Port Arthur Memorial Titans Friday night, April 2, 2004, at Kingwood’s Andy Wells Field for the final game between these schools this year.

Senior lefthander Zack Tumlinson started on the mound for the Mustangs and began the game by striking out three of the four Titans he faced. The fourth Titan reached base with a hit, but was left stranded.

The Mustangs got on the scoreboard in their half of the 1^st inning. The scoring drive began with a single by Junior second baseman Josh Fountain. A walk to Junior shortstop Johnny Whittleman followed. Clean up hitter Junior leftfielder Kenneth Negron was hit by a pitch to load the bases. A wild pitch brought Fountain home while Whittleman and Negron advanced to 3^rd and 2^nd bases respectively. Designated hitter Daniel Edwards hit a sacrifice fly to the left centerfield fence scoring Whittleman. The score after one full inning was Kingwood 2 & Port Arthur 0.

That was all the runs Tumlinson needed. He would pitch five innings for the win while striking out nine, giving up four hits, and no runs. Senior Jimmy Jordan came on in relief in the 6^th inning and faced 3 up 3 down to end the game under the 10 run mercy rule. Kingwood won 10-0 in 6 innings of play.

Defensively, Tumlinson helped himself in the 3^rd inning as he picked off the second hitter of the inning who had reached base on a single. In the 4^th inning with 2 runners on, Tumlinson got support on a classic 4-6-3 double play to end the inning with a good pick up and flip by second baseman Fountain, shortstop Whittleman on the turn and throw, and first baseman, Austin Wood, making a nice stretch.

Kingwood scored in the bottom of the 3^rd on a solo home run blast over the right field fence by Whittleman. In the 4^th inning Senior catcher Andrew Brooks walked, Senior centerfielder Steffen Saverino walked, and Junior right fielder Thomas McCormick belted a three run home run, making the score after 4 innings Kingwood 7 & Port Arthur 0.

The Mustangs continued scoring in the 5^th inning as Negron led off with a double to deep left field. Negron was driven in by Wood on a ground ball single between first & second base. Brooks singled. Wood and Junior Bruce Williams (running for Brooks) advanced on a wild pitch. Both were driven in by Sophomore outfielder Doug Simmons who singled up the middle.

The game would end with just two batters for Kingwood in the bottom of the 6^th inning, Fountain reached base on a hard hit ball misplayed by the first baseman. Whittleman would bring Fountain home with a line drive double off the right centerfield fence. Final score Mustangs 10 & Titans 0.

Offensively for Kingwood:

Whittleman 2-3, 2B-HR, on base 3-4 (walk)

2 runs, 2 RBI’s

McCormick 1-1, HR – 3 RBI’s, 1 run scored, on base 2-2 (HBP)

Fountain 2-4, 2 runs

Wood 1-3, 1 run, 1 RBI

Brooks 1-2, 2 runs (Bruce Williams running), on base 2-3

Simmons 1-1, 2 RBI’s

Negron 1-2, 1 run, on base 2-3 (HBP)

Gossett 1-3, on base 2-4 walk

Edwards 0-1, sac fly RBI

Savarino walk, 1 run scored