By Caleb Adams

Leader Correspondent

LITTLE CYPRESS — The Little Cypress-Mauriceville beat up the Silsbee Tigers 13-3 in LCM Tuesday night. After dropping the last game 6-4 to the Tigers last Friday, the Bears were in need of this win to keep fighting for a higher district playoff spot and got it done in a big way at Gibbens Field.

Taylor Gilbert got the start for the Bears (24-5, 6-2) and did well, even though the box score might not show it. Gilbert went five innings on 67 pitches, with two strikeouts and just one walk. The big deal for him was he was able to work out of a few tough spots and not give up but two runs on the night.

LCM’s offense is the big winner here, putting up 13 runs on 10 hits, and great base running. The Bears found themselves in multiple bases loaded situations and were able to grab a lot of their runs with multiple runners on.

The Bears took an early lead in the first inning, rebounding from Friday’s loss quick. Anthony Bandiero slamed the fence with a hard double to right-center, knocking in two runners, Jordan Alexander and Truman Franklin as the Bears took a 2-0 lead after the first inning.

Alexander knocked in a run to continue the Bears offense into the second inning. His hit brought in Slade Green from third, who reached on a triple earlier as the Bears grabbed a 3-0 lead heading into the third inning.

The Bears made their lead huge after a four walk and a one-hit inning. Green knocked in Micheal Lee on a bunt down the third base line. With the bases loaded he squeezed it down third base to drive in the fourth run of the game. Two more runs were scored thanks to some bases loaded walks by the Tigers. Reid Saperstein brings in two more runs thanks to an infield error by the Tigers to make it 8-0 after just three innings played.

The Tigers (12-13, 3-5) found their first run in the top of the fourth, thanks to a long double. Jacob Collins knocked in Spencer Uribe from first, but got thrown out at third on the play, to end the inning as the Tigers were down 8-1 in the fourth inning.

Silsbee found more offense in the top of the fifth. Hunter Palmer bunted in Corbin Johnson from third, after getting to third on a wild pitch but the Bears still led 8-2 after four and a half innings.

The Bears picked up the offense in the fifth inning with more hits. Franklin brought in one more on a hit, and on the error another run scores as John Beeson and Alexander both zipped in to score. Bandiero knocked in Lee for the next run of the inning, making the lead nine at 11-2 after five innings.

Silsbee didn’t give up as they scored another run in the sixth inning. Uribe lined one over the right fielder to bring in the Tigers third run of the game in Jackson Hardy.

The LC-M offense didn’t stop as they ended the game early with a ten run rule. Saperstein and Alexander would knock in the last two runs for the Bears to top it off 13-3.

The Bears will visit Hamshire-Fannett Friday as they remain in a second-place tie with Orangefield in the 22-4A standings and just one game back of first-place Bridge City.