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By Caleb Adams

Orange Leader

LITTLE CYPRESS – The Little Cypress-Mauriceville Bears fell to the Woodville Eagles 4-1 at the Orange County Classic on Friday night at Gibbens Field in a close game that ended in a thrilling fashion.

Lane Ferguson got the nod for the Eagles this game and delivered with a great outing. Ferguson would complete the start, going six innings with one run scored on three hits, one walk and six strikeouts in the outing. His pitching was a big reason the Bears had trouble stringing more than just one hit at a time.

The Eagles did a great job tacking runs on when they could, producing quality hits with runners on second and third is a big part of baseball and they performed well in that area. Trey Hickman was clutch in a couple spots, hitting a double and single for three RBIs total, leading the offense for the team as a hitter in the four-hole should.

The Eagles scored the game’s first runs with two outs in the top of the third inning. After a quick three-up, three-down inning, the Eagles offense took advantage. Cole Standley would start with a single and advance to second on an interference call on the play and a wild pitch put him on third base. Connor Risenger would walk and steal second base to follow that, bringing up Trey Hickman.

Hickman would fire one past the pitcher and bring in both Standley and Risenger from second and third base. That’s all they would find but the Eagles took a 2-0 lead over the Bears in the top of the third inning.

The Eagles hitting continued with a string of hits in the top of the fourth inning. Calan Wainwright reached on a fielder’s choice to start things, followed by a double from Tate Hickman to put runners on second and third base with one out. Darius Bean hit a dinker over the infield, just enough to bring Wainwright in from third base and put runners on the corners. The Eagles take a 3-0 lead over the Bears after the top of the fourth inning.

The Bears found their run of the game, thanks to their first hit of the game. Zach McNeil would connect with one and send it high and far out to left field, just over the left fielder’s glove. McNeil would be able to hustle around to third base on the play for a triple. During the next at bat, the Eagles threw a wild pitch and McNeil was able to take home on the play. That’s all they would find but the Bears clawed back a little making it 3-1 Eagles after the fourth inning was done.

The Eagles extended their lead in the top of the fifth with even more offense. Risinger would smack a single to start the inning bringing up Hickman with another chance for a big hit. Hickman would deliver, smacking a long double, enough to bring in Risinger all the way from third base for a run. That’s all they would find this half inning, but extended their lead to 4-1 after the top of the fifth is done.

The Bears would have a chance at more offense but Standley ended that in a dramatic fashion. A ball would be launched by McNeil, going over the right field fence, but Standley leaped and climbed the fence to catch the ball just before it left the field. That catch sealed the game and the win for the Eagles.

OF baseball

SILSBEE – The Orangefield Bobcats put up six runs in the second on its way to an 11-4 victory over Liberty on Friday at the Silsbee Tournament.

The Bobcat batters contributing to the big inning included Bryce Bergeron, Macoy Marze, Tyler Washington, Kameryn Henderson and Logan Gipson, who all knocking in runs in the inning.

Bergeron earned the win for the Bobcats.  The righthander lasted three innings, allowing three hits and zero runs while striking out three and walking one. Jason Bodin  threw three innings in relief out of the bullpen.

Kaden Nolan started the game for Liberty. The pitcher allowed seven hits and six runs over two innings, striking out two and walking zero.

The Bobcats launched one home run on the day. Bodin  had a long ball in the third inning.

The Bobcats totaled 12 hits Tyler Shearin, Washington, Bergeron and Trahan all had two hits to lead the Bobcats.

BC baseball

JASPER – The Bridge City Cardinals dropped a pair of games at the Jasper Tournament, falling to Jasper 6-3 and to Hardin-Jefferson 7-2.

Against H-J, Sam Carpenter had two hits for the Cardinals while Deegan King drove in a run.

Against Jasper, JT Fielder and Kade Benoit each had runs batted in.