Kingwood Run Rules
In Six Innings 16-6
Kingwood scored early and
often in their victory over the Baytown Rangers at Andy Wells Field Friday
night. The game was the Mustangs second District
22-5A contest of the year and was a display of Kingwood’s ability to score
runs.
Senior third baseman Greg
Gossett led off and opened up the Mustang half of the first inning by doubling
into the left center field gap to the fence.
Junior second baseman Josh Fountain was then hit by a pitch and both runners
advanced on a wild pitch. This set the
stage for three hole hitter Junior shortstop Johnny Whittleman. Whittleman hit a line drive double so hard it
handcuffed the right fielder, who played the ball off the right field
wall. Whittleman’s double scored both
Gossett and Fountain. Whittleman
advanced to third base on a wild pitch and scored on a balk by the pitcher. At the end of the first inning the score was
Kingwood 3 and Baytown Rangers 0.
The Mustangs continued on the
offensive in the bottom of the second inning as Junior pitcher Blake Hancock
singled to right field. Hancock was
replaced by courtesy runner Senior Stefan Savarino.
Savarino stole second base and
moved to third base on a passed ball.
Back to the top of the order, Gossett hit a slow roller to the shortstop,
which scored Savarino. Gossett moved to second
base on an errant throw by the Ranger shortstop. Following Gossett, Fountain walked and
Whittleman reached first base on a misplayed ball by the
Hancock blanked the Rangers
on 2 hits through 2 innings of
The Rangers came back in the
top of the third inning scoring 6 runs on 5 hits and a walk despite game
efforts by starter Hancock and Senior reliever Jonathan Beatty. Kingwood’s bats were silent in the third
inning making the
Sophomore Ryan Torres came on
to pitch with 2 outs in the top of the third inning for Kingwood and would shut
out
Kingwood did not score again
until the bottom of the fifth inning.
With 2 outs, Gossett singled to left and stole second base. Fountain walked and Whittleman crushed a shot
to right center field that hit off the top of the fence scoring Gossett and
Fountain. After 5 full innings the
score was Kingwood 10 - Sterling 6.
The Mustangs would end the game
in the sixth inning on the 10 run mercy rule.
Mize led off with a walk, stole second, and scored on a right fielder misplayed
ball that was hit by Negron. Negron
moved to 3rd and was driven in by a 4-3 ground out by Junior first
baseman Austin Wood. Senior catcher
Andrew Brooks singled. Torres battling for himself was hit by a pitch. Gossett
blasted a 3 run homer over the left field fence making the score 15-6
Kingwood. Following Gossett’s home run,
Whittleman walked and moved to second base on an infield hit by Sophomore right
fielder Doug Simmons. Mize would then
end the game with a line drive extra base hit scoring Whittleman.
Defensively, Kyle Denny made
two outstanding catches in centerfield.
Offensively:
Gossett 3-5 double, homerun, 3 runs, 4 runs
batted in, 1 stolen base
Whittleman 2-4, 2 doubles, 3 runs, 4 runs batted in and a
walk
Mize 1-2,
double on base 4-5, 2 walks, HBP, 2 runs, 2 RBI’s, 1 stolen base
Negron 1-2,
3B, 1 run, 3 RBI’s, 1 stolen base on base 4-4, 2 HBP and ROE
Brooks 1-4, 1 run scored
Hancock 1-1, 1 run scored by Savarino, Savarino
stolen base
Fountain 0-2, on base 3-5, 3 runs scored
Simmons 1-5, 1 run scored