The toughest part of the Houston Tigers’ schedule produced two lopsided losses.
Three days after getting blanked 13-0 by Rolla, Houston managed just one hit in a 15-2 five-inning loss Friday to Stoutland.
“This was a rough stretch of games for us,” said coach Brent Hall, whose Tigers fell to 1-2. “Those are the two best opponents we have on our schedule.”
Houston only trailed 5-2 before Stoutland, which has played in the Class 1 championship game the past two seasons, broke it open with 11 fifth-inning runs.
Hall said the floodgates opened when starter Kirk Pierce, who gave up eight hits and seven earned runs, reached the 100 pitch mark. Pierce walked four and struck out four.
“I thought he did well. He’s got the same problem A.J. (Castleman) has had when he pitches – he just doesn’t get ahead of batters,” Hall said. “If you are behind hitters, you are just a predictable pitcher and have to throw fastballs.”
The Tigers were stymied offensively as three Stoutland pitchers combined to strike out 12 and walked none. Caleb Smith’s RBI double in the third inning was Houston’s lone hit.
Trailing 4-0, Houston pushed across both its runs in the bottom of the third. David Weybright was hit by a pitch leading off the inning and scored on Smith’s double. Smith advanced to third on the throw home and scored one batter later on Pierce’s sacrifice fly.
The Tigers managed three baserunners – Weybright was twice hit by pitches and Smith doubled. Hall said Houston is putting the ball in play just 53 percent of the time this season.
“That was some of the best pitching we’ll see all year,” Hall said.
Stoutland 211 0(11) – 15 12 0
Houston 002 00 – 2 1 2
HOUSTON (ab-r-h-bi) – Weybright cf 1-1-0-0. Smith ss 2-1-1-1. Pierce p 1-0-0-1. Oakley 1b 2-0-0-0. Castleman rf 2-0-0-0. Pounds 2b 2-0-0-0. Scheets dh 2-0-0-0. Foster lf 2-0-0-0. Mooney 3b 1-0-0-0. Knetzer 3b 1-0-0-0. Totals 16-2-1-2.
2B: Smith. SF: Pierce. SB: Weybright.
houston ip h r er bb so
Pierce, L 0-1 4 8 9 7 4 4
Smith 1 4 6 2 1 0
HBP: Weybright 2.
