After building a 4-0 lead through 3 innings, the Houston High School baseball team went on to lose, 8-4, in a nonconference game Monday at Licking.
The Tigers got on the board with 2 outs in the top of the first inning when freshman Blake Sanders blasted his second home run of the season, a 2-run shot to left-center field.
In the second frame, Houston added another run when freshman Griffin Aaron reached base on an error, stole second, advanced to third on a passed ball and scored on a throwing error.
The Tigers went ahead 4-0 in the third inning on a solo homer to dead center field by junior Jasper McCloy – his third dinger of the season. But that was the last time Houston would score.
The host Wildcats tied things up before an out was recorded in the bottom of the fourth inning. After a single and a hit batter put runners at first and second, sophomore Jett Sullins launched a long 3-run home run to left field. Sophomore lefty Colin Kuhn then stepped up to the plate and banged a solo shot over the Wulff Field fence in right field.
Licking took a 5-4 lead in the fifth inning on an RBI single by senior Isaac Rinne and then added 3 more runs in the bottom of the sixth. The Wildcats loaded the bases with no outs in the frame and then got a couple of runs on walks and another on a sacrifice fly.
“We got off to a good start, leading going into the fourth inning,” said HHS head coach Brent Hall, “then with a couple of walks and hit batters, we let our frustration get the best of us. I made some decisions that cost us some runs as well, so we were all in this together.”
Both teams had 9 hits in the game. The Wildcats committed 3 errors and the Tigers had none, but sophomore catcher Jason Ingram gunned down 3 Houston runners trying to steal second base.
Senior Aaden Scantlin pitched the first 5 innings for Houston, giving up 5 earned runs on 7 hits while striking out 6, walking 4 and plunking 2 batters. Sanders worked the sixth frame, allowing 3 earned runs on 2 hits while fanning 2 and walking 3.
After sophomore Logan Buckner lasted 3 innings on the mound for Licking, sophomore Parker Huff turned in a huge performance in 4 innings of relief, allowing 4 hits and no runs while striking out 10 and walking 3.
Huff struck out 4 batters in the top of the seventh inning, as Aaron got to first base with 2 outs thanks to a passed ball on a third strike. With runners at first and third, Huff got the last out of the contest by fanning freshman Tucker Venn.
“I really like our team and what they give to me every day,” Hall said. “We are really close to getting over the hump in games like these and it will happen soon.”
This week, the Diamond Tigers (9-7, 3-1 SCA) will play an SCA game Thursday at Cabool, weather permitting. After a lengthy absence from Tiger Field, Houston hosts a key SCA matchup with Ava on Monday (April 27).
As Hall continues to draw closer to the 400-win mark for his career, his record now stands at 398-257.
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