MOUNTAIN GROVE – Houston’s successful season came to an abrupt halt against a hard-throwing right-hander from Liberty.
But coach Brent Hall said the finish – a 5-1 loss to Liberty in Friday’s first round of the Class 3 District 10 tournament – doesn’t overshadow the rest of the year.
Even with the loss, the Tigers had a 14-8 mark in 2015 for the program’s first winning record in five seasons.
“This doesn’t take anything away from the way we played this season,” Hall said. “I’m very proud of them.”
Fourth-seeded Houston mustered very little offensively against Liberty’s Kale Cornman. Throwing in the 80s with a darting fastball, he struck out 16 Tigers and allowed just one hit.
Cornman was wild at times –walking eight batters, including three in the final frame to bring the potential tying run to the plate – but mostly dominant. All but five of Houston’s 21 outs were via Ks.
“We just couldn’t hit him,” Hall said. “He’s the best pitcher we’ve seen all year. He is a competitor and heck of a player.”
The end of the season meant the conclusion of the careers of three seniors. Ty Wilkins rejoined the team for his final season and earned the starting job in center field. Kolby Walker was a three-year starter at first base and Tanner Cantrell was a four-year starter and two-time all-state selection.
The trio shared embraces with their teammates and coaches before walking off the field as Tigers for the final time.
“I’ve watched them play ball since they were old enough to throw it,” Hall said. “I’m thankful I could be with them all the way through.”
Cantrell’s sixth-inning double was the lone hit for the Tigers. He moved to third base on a wild pitch and scored on Walker’s RBI ground out to first base for Houston’s lone run.
Junior Ethan Kelley gave up five hits and four runs –– all earned –– in five innings in the loss. He struck out five and walked five.
Nathan Poynter pitched the final two innings and allowed one hit: a solo home run by Cornman in the top of the sixth.
Houston, which edged Liberty 11-10 during the regular season, managed to load the bases in the bottom of the seventh. Whitley Welch and Ross Wells walked and after a strikeout, Kelley also drew a walk to load the bases.
But with the potential tying run at the plate, Cornman escaped the jam with a strikeout and getting Cantrell to hit a high flyball to center field.
“I told them going into the last inning if we could get it back to Tanner, we had a chance,” Hall said. “We were right there and had an opportunity. Sometimes you come through and sometimes you don’t. That’s just baseball.”
Hall is hopeful Houston’s winning season – the first for any boys’ team at HHS since the 2010 baseball team went 17-5 as South Central Association champions – will begin to turn the tide for the school.
“Hopefully this team is the start of good things for everybody,” Hall said. “We share the same athletes, and we’ve struggled getting on top and winning. This team finally did that.”
Friday’s scores
First round
Ava 10, Willow Springs 1
Liberty 5, Houston 1
Tuesday’s scores
Semifinals
Mtn. Grove 10, Liberty 0
Licking 5, Ava 4
Wednesday’s game
Championship
(1) Mtn. Grove vs. (2) Licking