By Caleb Adams

Leader Correspondent

 

EAST CHAMBERS—The Orangefield Bobcats ten-run ruled the East Chambers Buccaneers 11-1 in District 22-3A play at Buccaneer Field Tuesday night.

The game was originally scheduled to take place in Orangefield but the field wasn’t in great condition. The Bobcats (12-8, 8-1) played in East Chambers but played as the home team.

Landen Tomlinson got the nod for the Bobcats, who are in a first-place tie with Kirbyville in the 22-3A standings, on the mound this evening, and filled his role nicely. His first inning or two was rough but after he settled down, he dealt a good performance. He held the Bucs to just a run in the first inning and just three hits. The Bobcat defense was stiff behind him and made his job that much easier.

Blake Bradley and Mason Gonzalez were the sluggers that the Bobcats needed early Tuesday.

Bradley had two RBI’s with a single and a double that tied and took the lead for the Bobcats. Gonzalez would go 4 for 4 on the day and scored three runs. He was pivotal in the early scoring for the Bobcats. The offense overall was quiet in comparison to the norm, until the sixth inning. In the sixth the Bobcats exploded, sending 11 batters to the plate and scoring eight in the inning to bring the ten-run rule into effect. The offense came late, but better late than never.

The Buccaneers opened up the scoring in the top of the first with two hits and a run across home. Tyler Dahon would knock in Peyton Bertrand from second base, after Bertrand took a pitch to the back. The Bucs would leave two runners on but took an early 1-0 lead on the Bobcats.

The Bobcats took advantage of an error in the bottom of the second by the Bucs. Blake Bradley drove in Mason Gonzalez from second with a high shot to left center, both fielders lost sight and Bradley found himself on second. A runner would be left on third but the Bobcats tied it up at 1-1 after two innings.

Bradley connected with another to bring in his second RBI on the day for the Bobcats. Bradley brought around Kaiden Dubose, who pinch-ran for Mason Gonzalez on first base, after a sac bunt Dubose was in scoring position. The Bobcats would leave two runners on base but took a 2-1 lead over the Bucs after four innings played.

Johnny Armstrong gave the Bobcats an insurance run all on his own. Armstrong led off with a double to deep right center, during the next at bat Armstrong stole third and on the bad throw he took off and stole home too.

The Bobcats rallied in the bottom of the sixth to put a bow on the game. Tomlinson brought in Bradley from third base, who got pushed around by a bunt from Kaiden Dubose. Ryan Trahan drove in Logan Gipson from third, making it a four run game for the Bobcats. Kadeon Evans hit a big single down the left field line to bring in both Tomlinson and Trahan from second and third base.

Gonzalez kept the rally going with a rocket to left field that scored Evans from second base for the sixth run of this inning. Bradley would collect his third RBI of the game with an infield hit that brought in Gonzalez from third base. Gipson would drive in Jones for the tenth run, enacting the ten-run rule to end the game. The Bobcats scored eight runs in the bottom of the sixth to end the game.

Tomlinson kept the Bucs at bay with one early run and the Bobcat offense scored enough to take the win as Orangefield improved their ever-important district record for the playoffs.

The Bobcats will head to Warren Friday to take on the Warriors.