The Houston baseball team raised money for the fight against cancer and beat their rivals in one afternoon.
It was a good day at the park. Make that a pink day at the park.
The Tigers broke open a 1-all game with four runs in the bottom of the fifth inning last Thursday en route to an 8-2 victory against visiting Licking.
The win capped a special day that raised funds for Relay For Life. The Pink Out At The Park included activities, special treats and lots of pink. From the bases and baselines to the more than 200 specially-designed T-shirts for fans and numbers on the players’ uniforms, pink was prevalent at Tiger Field.
“Just about everyone has someone in their life that cancer has affected,” said HHS assistant coach Ryan Munson, who helped organize the event. “I thought it was a great opportunity to do what little we could to join the fight.”
Junior Aaron Cantrell overcame early control issues to strike out a career-best 13 batters in the complete-game victory. He walked eight –– four in the first inning without allowing a run –– and allowed just four hits.
Trevor Merckling had three hits and Chance Gale was 2-for-2 with three RBIs for HHS (8-6). Whitley Welch scored twice.
With the bases loaded in the fifth, Licking committed a costly error that opened the floodgates. Merckling followed with a run-scoring hit and Gale brought home two more runs with a single.
“I think it’s important to play in games that have some hype,” Munson said. “That was a big game against a good team, and we proved that we could handle the pressure.”
On Monday, the Tigers concluded South Central Association play with a 7-6 walk-off victory against Liberty.
HHS scored four times with two outs in the bottom of the seventh –– highlighted by Merckling’s two-run single to right field –– to win it.
Devin Coulter struck out a season-high 10 batters in the victory. Just one of the six runs he allowed was earned.
The Tigers, who finished conference play with a 5-2 mark, could earn a share of the SCA title. If Cabool beat Salem on Wednesday, there would be a four-way share of the championship between Houston, Ava, Cabool and Salem. But if Salem won that game, it will earn the title outright.
HHS lost a pair of one-run games in conference play to Ava and Salem.
“It’s a big improvement from last year,” Tigers coach Brent Hall. “We’re playing better lately, and you always want to play your best at the end of the season.”
Houston will receive its district seed Thursday.