By Caleb Adams

Leader Correspondent

SILSBEE – The District 22-4A baseball crown will be worn at West Orange-Stark as the Mustangs went on the road and downed the Silsbee Tigers 1-0 Tuesday night at Tiger Field in a nailbiter.

For the Mustangs (21-3, 10-0) senior ace Jack Dallas started the game, giving up just two hits with one walk while striking out 12 and WO-S manufactured a run in the top of the sixth to claim it.

“It was an overall team win, we put the ball in play and got a big run in the sixth,” said Mustang coach Shea Landry.

Now it’s on to the playoffs for the Mustangs, who tore through 22-4A play with an undefeated record as they will take on Jasper in the Class 4A Region III bidistrict playoffs next week.

“We’re enjoying this win for a little bit then getting ready to play,”said Landry. “ We’re taking it one game at a time.”

It was the second nip-and-tuck game between the two as WO-S snared a 6-5 home win in the first half of 22-4A play.

For the Tigers (22-4, 8-2) Trevis Sundgren started and lasted to the seventh inning giving up one run off five hits, three walks and eight strikeouts. Both pitchers were rather efficient on the night shutting down both lineups for the most part.

Both crowds showed up in force for this game that decided who will be the first-place team in the district and the game certainly didn’t disappoint in the pitching duel.

In the top of the sixth the tension finally snapped with West Orange-Stark finding a reward for getting on base. KJ Miller reached base off a walk and Chad Dallas reached after the Tigers choose to intentionally walk him. Tre Bernard hit an infield single, but on the throw to first, the first baseman missed the ball and Miller scored the game’s only run.

Dallas continued to throw great on the night and retires the Tigers in order to setup a climatic seventh inning.

The Mustangs retired in order in the top of the seventh setting up the Tigers with a shot at a comeback.

However, Dallas didn’t lose a step throughout the night and came firing back in the seventh inning. Dallas gives up his first walk of the night with two outs left in the game. With the crowd on its feet Dallas struck out the last batter.

The Mustangs and Tigers both get runners into scoring positions in the first four innings but were unable to produce any runs from it. The score, much like the pitching, was very tight through four innings.

Both pitchers were finding ways to get out of hairy situations with a runner on second or third. Jack Dallas accumulated seven strikeouts through four innings. Sundgren put up three K’s, but found outs through the ground ball.

Both teams have had excellent seasons and will gear up for the playoffs next week.