The Houston Tigers easily took down the conference’s top dogs.
Eight different players had hits and seven knocked in runs Monday afternoon as HHS topped state-ranked rival Cabool 13-8.
The Tigers scored 11 of the game’s first 13 runs and were one run away from a 10-run victory in the fourth inning against the only unbeaten team in the South Central Association.
“I’m extremely happy with the way we competed. and played,” HHS coach Brent Hall said. “We (the coaches) were talking, and that’s probably the best team we’ve played.”
HHS (6-2, 4-2 SCA) knocked off a state-ranked opponent for the second time in a week. The Tigers beat Thayer –– ranked third in Class 2 –– the previous Monday. The Bulldogs (9-3, 4-1 SCA) are ranked fifth in Class 2.
The Tigers did it to their Texas County counterparts with an offensive barrage. They scored six times in the third inning and five more times in the fourth to take a commanding advantage.
Tanner Cantrell was 3-for-4 with two doubles to lead the way. Five different players –– Tanner Cantrell, Whitley Welch, Quinton Alston, Aaron Cantrell and Trevor Merckling –– knocked in two runs apiece.
“Up and down the lineup, there wasn’t a person who didn’t have a productive at-bat,” Hall said. “Everyone contributed. That’s the best we’ve hit the ball in quite some time.”
Devin Coulter improved to 5-0 by allowing three earned runs in 6 1/3 innings. He gave up 11 hits while striking out two and walking three.
Whitley Welch had a two-run double and Merckling drove in two more runs with a two-out single to put HHS ahead 6-0 in the bottom of the third.
After Cabool scored twice, the Tigers sent 14 batters to the plate in the five-run fourth. Alston doubled home a pair of runs and Aaron Cantrell had a run-scoring single during the rally that made it 11-2.
The Bulldogs made four errors in the third and fourth innings.
“We kept taking it to them,” Hall said. “We were overly aggressive and made them make plays. It worked out for us. The wheels kind of fell off for Cabool.”
Last Wednesday, the Tigers dropped another one-run decision –– this time an 8-7 loss to Cuba to conclude the Neal’s Sporting Goods Leadoff Classic. The game had previously been postponed by inclement weather.
All six of Houston’s losses have been by a single run.
Kyle Wilson laid down a RBI squeeze bunt with one out in the bottom of the seventh inning Monday as the JV Houston Tigers beat Cabool 7-6.
Stetson Welch was the winning pitcher for Houston (4-3). Quinton Alston got the save.
On Saturday, the Tigers split two games in their tournament. After losing 5-4 to Rolla, they beat Salem 8-7.