Houston coach Brent Hall didn’t waste words when putting his baseball team’s victory into perspective.
After an embarrassing 11-0 loss to Mountain Grove in the first game of a doubleheader, the Tigers bounced back in a big way. Senior Ethan Kelley escaped a bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the sixth inning and HHS edged the state-ranked Panthers 5-4 Monday night.
“That is a huge win for us,” Hall said. “They are No. 7 in the state and probably the top seed in our district. We’ve proven that we can beat them. I can’t tell you how proud I am of them. That’s probably one of my biggest wins, to be honest, other than the times we advanced in state.”
Especially after the opening game.
Houston (9-5, 2-3 South Central Association) committed five errors –– leading to seven unearned runs –– and managed just three hits in the opener. It was the Tigers’ first home loss of the season.
“I was extremely disappointed in the first game. We were intimidated and just folded,” Hall said. “Between games I told them if they had any pride at all, they would come out in the second game playing with heart and grit. I’m so proud of them.”
Senior Ty Wilkins, the No. 8 hitter in the lineup, was 3-for-3 with a pair of RBIs in the nightcap victory. Stetson Welch and Nathan Poynter had two hits apiece.
The second contest was the makeup of the championship game of the Houston Tournament that was postponed by inclement weather earlier in the season. The Tigers won the title by beating Mountain Grove to finish 4-0.
Houston, which was the visiting team on the scoreboard, scored three times in the top of the second to take the lead for good. Wilkins had a RBI infield single between Kyle Wilson’s run-scoring groundout and Trevor Motzkus darting home on a wild pitch.
Wilkins’ third-inning single put HHS ahead 4-1 and the advantage was 5-2 on Whitley Welch’s single in the sixth to score his brother, Stetson.
Mountain Grove scored two times in the bottom of the sixth and loaded the bases with two outs. But starter Ethan Kelley struck out leadoff hitter Jacob Mitchell on four pitches to escape the jam.
Kelley, who struck out eight and walked one, got a pair of groundouts and strikeout in the bottom of the seventh to seal the victory.
Kelley threw 108 pitches in the complete-game win.
“He looked like he was getting tired,” Hall said, “but he finished it.”
In the opening game, Stetson Welch, Tanner Cantrell and Kolby Walker had one hit apiece in the 11-run loss. The defeat counted as a conference loss.
Stetson Welch gave up nine hits and 11 runs –– four earned –– in six innings. He struck out three and walked two.
Last Thursday, Walker had two hits and both of Houston’s RBIs in a 5-2 loss at Salem.
Cantrell and Wilson had one hit each for the Tigers, who were out-hit 9-4.
Stetson Welch surrendered five earned runs in the complete-game loss. He struck out five and walked two.
BOX SCORES
Monday’s games
Houston 5, Mtn. Grove 4
HHS 031 001 0 – 5 11 3
MGHS 101 002 0 – 4 6 1
Hits: Ty Wilkins 3, Stetson Welch 2, Nathan Poynter 2, Ethan Kelley, Whitley Welch, Kolby Walker.
Winning pitcher: Kelley (3-1)
Mtn. Grove 11, Houston 0
MGHS 207 002 – 11 9 0
HHS 000 000 – 0 3 5
Hits: Stetson Welch, Tanner Cantrell, Kolby Walker.
Losing pitcher: Stetson Welch (2-3)
Last Thursday’s game
Salem 5, Houston 2
HHS 000 200 0 – 2 4 0
SHS 000 203 x – 5 9 2
Hits: Kolby Walker 2, Tanner Cantrell, Kyle Wilson.
Losing pitcher: Stetson Welch (2-2)
That is a huge win for us. They are No. 7 in the state and probably the top seed in our district. We’ve proven that we can beat them. I can’t tell you how proud I am of the team. That’s probably one of my biggest wins, to be honest, other than the times we advanced in state.”