By Caleb Adams

Leader Correspondent

 

BUNA —The Buna Cougars toppled the Orangefield Bobcats in a tight one 7-5 in District 22-3A action at Cougar Field Tuesday night.

Through and through this game delivered in entertainment and action as the Cougars punched up on senior night for a big win.

The Cougars (10-10-3, 8-5) offense was lead by the middle of their lineup in Trent Berry, who would have a double and triple in back to back innings and at bats to enable the Cougars to lead by one in the bottom of the second and third innings.

Both hits would put him in position to score and ignite the offense. The team was also able to take advantage of multiple innings where the Bobcats (15-9, 11-2) walked the bases loaded, stealing a few runs when they could.

The Bobcats didn’t have a single standout hitter, but a few players did have big hits. Blake Bradley found a liner in the second inning to score the team’s first run. Johnny Armstrong would get two singles, a stolen base and a run scored. The Bobcats would put up a good fight, but would fall just a little short against a strong hitting Cougars lineup.

Orangefield opened the scoring in the top of the second inning. Mason Gonzales reaches on a leadoff walk and took second after a wild pitch. Blake Bradley sent a rope to left center and just beat out the throw for a double himself and drove in Gonzales from second base. Logan Gipson would shoot one just over the pitcher’s head to center to score Bradley from second base as the Bobcats took a 2-0 lead heading to the bottom of the second inning.

The Cougars answered back in the bottom of the second with some hits of their own. Trent Berry led off with a triple to deep center field, the very next pitch was sent high and deep enough from Tanner Hunt to send Berry home. Kendall Knox would take a pitch to the helmet with the bases loaded, after all three batters were walked, to score the inning’s second run as the Cougars tied it up after gifted a run, 2-2 after two innings.

The Bobcats retook the lead in the top of the third inning. Johnny Armstrong would reach with a single and steal second base on the next pitch. Kent Micheal moved him to third with a sacrifice hit, and Kadeon Evans drove him in with another sacrifice hit. That’s all the Bobcats would find, but they did take a 3-2 lead after their half of the third inning.

Buna wasted no time in responding to the Bobcats offense. Reid Pollard would reach on a Bobcat error and be pushed to third after a Trent Berry double. On the next at bat Pollard ran home after a wild pitch. Tanner Hunt knocked in Berry from second with a hard single to take the Cougars first lead of the ball game with the Cougars leading 4-3 after three complete innings.

Buna opened it up with a two run single from Cameron Hebert. With the bases loaded and two outs Hebert hit a blooper to shallow right scoring both Berry and Hunt from second and third base. Carsen Goldman, who walked, would get given home plate after a balk call brought him in. as the Cougars exploded in the bottom of the fifth to take a 7-3 lead over the Bobcats.

Orangefield scratched back in the top of the sixth inning. After the Bobcats got the bases loaded, Landen Tomlinson drew a walk to drive in Gonzales from third base. During the next at bat Gunner Jones found an opening to score from third after a wild pitch got past the Cougars catcher to keep the rally going. That’s all they would find, but the Bobcats did shrink the lead to 7-5 after five and a half complete.

The Bobcats would get shut down in the top of the seventh to end the game. The Cougars hung on to win thanks to an explosive fifth inning, despite the Bobcats’ best efforts.

The Bobcats fall to second in district as they move to their final regular season game versus Anahuac at home Friday. Meanwhile, Buna goes to Kirbyville Friday. A Orangefield win over Anahac and a Buna win over Kirbyville would give Orangefield a share of the district title with Kirbyville.