Two games into a new season, Houston baseball coach Brent Hall said he likes what he sees.
“I think our team is going to be pretty competitive,” Hall said.
The Tigers are off to a 2-0 start in 2016 after beating Licking 13-9 Monday afternoon in the first game of the Dooley’s Sports Grill Leadoff Classic.
HHS opened the season Friday with an 18-0 three-inning victory against Summersville in the Eminence Wood Bat Classic.
Although there is still much room for improvement, Hall is happy to be unbeaten following a victory over the team’s U.S. 63 rivals.
“I’m proud of them,” he said. “They didn’t play perfect, but you’re not going to right now. It was a typical early-season game.”
Stetson Welch led the HHS offense –– averaging 15.5 runs per game –– by going 2-for-3 with a double and two stolen bases. Kyle Wilson scored three times and also stole a base.
Senior Nathan Poynter allowed four runs –– three earned –– in 3 1/3 innings for his first win of the season. He allowed just two hits while striking out six and walking four.
The Tigers will play four times in five days during the tournament. HHS faced Cuba on Tuesday and finished the tournament today (Thursday) with Salem and Friday against Mountain Grove.
Houston, which was the visiting team, took advantage of a wild pitch and bases-loaded walk for an early 2-0 lead. Licking answered with two runs in the bottom of the first, including a long home run to center field.
It was 3-3 in the third when Tanner Carter was able to stay in a rundown between first and second base long enough for Stetson Welch to sprint home.
The game’s key moment came in the fourth.
Licking, which trailed 6-4, loaded the bases with one out with the top of its lineup at the plate. But the Tigers got out of the jam as Poynter, who was now playing third base, scooped a hard grounder, stepped on third and threw across the diamond for a 5-3 double play.
“That was a momentum changer,” Hall said.
Houston scored six times in the top of the sixth –– highlighted by RBI singles from Whitley Welch and Poynter –– to appear to put the game away. But it proved to still be difficult.
With the sun setting in center field, Hall said both the umpire and his catcher, Whitley Welch, had trouble seeing the ball. That meant that pitcher Stetson Welch, a soft-tossing right-hander who relies on his curveball, could only throw fastballs.
Licking scored five times and had two runners on base before a groundout to end the game.
“It was hard,” Hall said. “The umpire couldn’t see. The pitcher is mad because he thinks he is getting squeezed and I told him, ‘Stetson, he can’t see it.’ Whitley can’t see. So he became a one pitch pitcher, and he doesn’t throw very hard. But we got out of it.”
On Friday, Wilson was 3-for-4 with four RBIs to lead the Tigers’ romp of Summersville. Stetson Welch and Ross Wells knocked in three runs apiece.
Stetson Welch struck out six and allowed two hits for the win. Houston senior Tanner Carter (15) is caught in a rundown Monday against Licking. Carter was able to return safely to first base while allowing a teammate to score from third.
BOX SCORES
Monday’s game
Houston 202 216 –– 13 7 4
Licking 210 105 –– 9 6 7
HOUSTON (ab-r-h-bi) –– Whitley Welch c 3-1-1-1. Ethan Kelley ss 2-2-0-1. Kyle Wilson lf 3-3-1-0. Nathan Poynter p 3-1-1-2. Stetson Welch 3b 3-1-2-1. Ross Wells dh 5-0-1-0. Tanner Carter 1b 3-2-1-1. Trevor Motzkus rf 2-1-0-0. Matt Knarr cf 3-1-0-0. Root ph 1-0-0-0. Totals 28-13-7-6.
2B: SWelch. SAC: Kelley. SB: SWelch 2, Wilson.
Houston ip h r er bb so
Poynter, W 3.1 2 4 3 4 6
SWelch 2.2 4 5 0 5 2
Friday’s game
Houston 35(10) –– 18 14 0
Summersville 000 –– 0 2 5
HOUSTON (ab-r-h-bi) –– Whitley Welch c 3-0-1-0. Josh Hurst pr 1-4-1-0. Stetson Welch p 2-1-1-3. Kyle Wilson lf 4-2-3-4. Ethan Kelley ss 3-2-0-0. Nathan Poynter 3b 1-3-1-1. Ross Wells dh 3-1-2-3. Tanner Carter 1b 3-1-1-1. Trevor Motzkus rf 3-2-2-1. Gavin Alston 2b 1-2-1-1. Kameron Root ph 1-0-1-1. Totals 25-18-14-15.
2B: SWelch, Wells. 3B: Motzkus. SB: Hurst 2, Poynter. CS: SWelch.
Houston ip h r er bb so
SWelch, W 3 2 0 0 1 6
Thursday vs. Salem, 6:30 p.m
Friday vs. Mtn. Grove, 6:30 p.m.
Monday at Seymour, 4:30 p.m.
Wednesday vs. Stoutland, 4:30 p.m.