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SILSBEE – The Orangefield Bobcats moved into sole possession of first-place in the District 22-4A baseball race with a nail-biting 8-6 victory over the Silsbee Tigers in eight grueling innings at Tiger Field Friday night.

The Bobcats (13-5-2, 6-1) ran off with the lead late in the game to down the second-place Tigers (14-6-1, 5-2). The game was tied at 5-5 with Bobcats batting in the top of the eighth when Tyler Shearin  doubled on a 0-2 count, scoring three runs.

Silsbee scored four runs in the seventh inning, but the  still managed to pull out the victory. Silsbee’s offense in the inning was led by Cash Glaze, Chance Partain and Kanon Sundgren, all sending runners across the plate with RBIs in the inning.

Silsbee knotted the game up at five in the bottom of the seventh inning, when Sundgren  doubled on a 1-1 count, scoring one run.

Coop Longron was the winning pitcher for the Bobcats. The southpaw lasted one inning, allowing four hits and three runs while walking one. Jace Gipson threw one inning in relief out of the bullpen. Gipson recorded the last three outs to earn the save for the Bobcats.

Logan Simmons was on the hill for Silsbee. The hurler lasted five and a third innings, allowing seven hits and four runs while striking out seven and walking zero. Ethan Youngblood  threw two and two-thirds innings out of the bullpen.

Bryce Bergeron started the game for Orangefield. He surrendered two runs on three hits over six innings, striking out five.

The Bobcats socked one home run on the day. Tyler Washington went deep in the third inning.

The Bobcats had 12 hits in the game.

Washington, Bergeron, Ryan Trahan and Gunner Jones  all had multiple hits for the Bobcats. Trahan went 3-for-4 at the plate to lead Orangefield at the plate.

The Bobcats will play host to Bridge City Tuesday.