Bushland’s Tate Nebhut delivers a pitch against River Road during a District 1-3A game Saturday in Bushland. [Tom Carver/ Press Pass Sports]
It was a battle of the top two teams in District 1-3A Saturday afternoon where the undefeated Bushland Falcons continued their winning ways holding off River Road in a pitching clash, 2-1, in Bushland.
There wasn’t much defense in this one as the starting pitchers for each team were dynamic only allowing a combined three runs and seven hits in the game. Tate Nebhut went the distance in the win for the Falcons pitching at a high level across his seven innings. Nebhut allowed a total of two Wildcat base runners, and racked up eight strikeouts.
On the visiting side of the diamond, Lance Welps was doing his best to keep River Road in the game. Welps was phenomenal against the Falcons who have averaged over 10 runs a game throughout district play. The southpaw also finished the night with eight K’s but was hit five times for two runs.
Runs were not easy to come by in the 2-1 contest, as neither of the teams had a player with more than a single hit. The highlight of the day for either team was Bushland’s Tanner Troxell’s RBI double which would be the difference in the game.
Bushland is Class 3A playoff bound improving to 6-0 in district and an unblemished 18-0 overall. The Wildcats fall to 8-12, 3-3.
Bushland 2, River Road 1
River Road 000 100 0 — 1 2 0
Bushland 101 000 0 — 2 5 1
Welps and Clark. Nebhut and McDonald. W— . L— Welps. 2B— RR: Delgado. Bushland: Troxell. Records: River Road 8-12, 3-3. Bushland 18-0, 6-0.
Dimmitt downs Dalhart
Dimmitt jumped on Dalhart early and never looked back as they took the district matchup 9-2 in Dimmitt Saturday.
Dimmitt took no time before taking the lead scoring in the bottom of the first, and before the Golden Wolves could blink they trailed 6-0 going into the fourth inning.
Javion Casas had a strong outing for the Bobcats as he finished his night 3-for-4 from the plate, scoring each time he found the base paths.
Julius Carpio was strong once again for Dimmitt on the mound. He struggled a bit with his control, walking four and allowing a run on four hits, but Carpio finished with nine K’s in the contest.
In another brother tag team battle, Kobe Carpio stepped onto the mound in the seventh to close things out. Kobe let two batters on base, but the Bobcat defense stood tall behind him and got him out of the inning without allowing any runs.
Dimmitt is now 17-4 overall and a game back of Bushland at 5-1 in district. Dalhart is 8-11, 2-4.
Dimmitt 9, Dalhart 2
Dalhart 000 020 0 — 2 5 8
Dimmitt 123 021 x — 9 11 2
Forry, (5) Anderson, and Griggs. J Carpio, (7) K Carpio, and Aguero. W— J Carpio. L— Forry. 2B— Dalhart: Torres. Records: Dalhart 8-11, 2-4. Dimmitt 17-4, 5-1.
District 3-5A
Randall clinches postseason berth
The fickle winds which blew across the area Friday afternoon helped blow the Randall Raiders into the playoffs.
Having moved into a three-way tie for second place in District 3-5A after winning at Plainview on Tuesday, the Raiders hosted Plainview with their playoff destiny in their own hands. On a windy day they grasped it, using two big innings to overcome a brief deficit for a 7-1 victory and clinch a postseason.
Randall (14-13-1, 7-4 in district) clinched a playoff spot thanks to Caprock’s loss to Amarillo High.
Plainview (13-13-1, 6-5) broke a scoreless tie after three innings on Isaac Garza’s RBI single in the top of the fourth. But that was all the Bulldogs got, as Dylan Cheyne was relieved by Hunter Phillips, who threw 3 2/3 shutout innings of relief to earn the victory.
Randall took control of the game with four runs in the bottom of the fourth. Alexys Camacho drew a bases-loaded four-pitch walk to tie the game, then Kole Dudding lined a two-run single to left to give the Raiders the lead for good.
Noah Baker then drove in a run on an infield single to cap the inning for a 4-1 lead. Dudding finished with four RBIs on the day, as his wind-aided double drove in two runs in the fifth to cap the scoring.
Randall 7, Plainview 1
Plainview 000 100 0 – 1 5 0
Randall 000 430 x – 7 10 2
Sebastian Alcala and Diego Hernandez. Dylan Cheyne, Hunter Phillips (4) and Mason Ladd. W – Phillips. L – Alcala. 2B – Plainview: Isaac Garza. Randall: Tucker Garza, Phillips, Taylor McDaniel, Kole Dudding. Records:Plainview 13-13-1, 6-5; Randall 14-13-1, 7-4.
Tascosa thumps PD, earns playoff spot
Randall wasn’t the only district metro team to assure its postseason destiny, as Tascosa did the same and stayed tied for second in the district by beating Palo Duro 7-1.
The Rebels (13-11, 7-4) didn’t waste time as they got on the board with two runs in the bottom of the first. Josh Splawn started the scoring with an RBI triple and scored on a passed ball. It was the start of a big day for Splawn, who went 4-for-4 at the plate and scored four runs.
On the mound, Tascosa’s Javen Patrick was in control, as he threw a one-hitter and gave up only an unearned run in the top of the seventh.
Palo Duro (5-19-1, 1-10) was eliminated from the playoff picture.
Tascosa 7, Palo Duro 1
Palo Duro 000 000 1 – 1 1 1
Tascosa 202 201 x – 7 11 4
Anthony Rocha, Chris Esparza (4) and unknown. Javen Patrick and Koben Yarbrough. W – Patrick. L – Rocha. 2B – Tascosa: Tai Phetiuangsy, Josh Splawn. 3B – Tascosa: Erik Arce, Splawn. Records: Palo Duro 5-19-1, 1-10. Tascosa 13-11, 7-4.
Sandies rout Caprock
Amarillo High continued to show why it sits alone atop the district, as the Sandies dominated Caprock en route to a 15-0 10-run mercy rule victory in five innings to maintain a three-game advantage on the rest of the district.
The Sandies (19-6, 10-1) took a 4-0 lead in the top of the second with the benefit of only one hit. They took advantage of three walks and an error, as Bryson Slaughter had the inning’s only hit with a two-run double to cap the inning.
Amarillo High attained the run rule margin by scoring eight runs in the fifth. Jett Johnston had the big hit with a three-run triple.
Caprock fell to 3-20 and 2-9.
Amarillo High 15, Caprock 0
Amarillo High 041 28 – 15 6 0
Caprock 000 00 – 0 8 3
Tristan Curless, Brock Ewing (2), Jett Johnson (5) and Braize Mitchell. Flores, Gonzales (2), Acosta (4), King (5) and Ostos. W- Ewing. L – Flores. 2B – AHS: Bryson Slaughter. 3B – AHS: Johnston. Records: Amarillo High 19-6, 10-1; Caprock 3-20, 2-9.
District 4-4A
Canyon piles it on Perryton
The Canyon Eagles brought their bats on the road to Perryton in a 12-0 win.
The victory not only kept Canyon (21-3 overall) perfect in District 4-4A at 7-0, but the Eagles also clinch a Class 4A playoff spot.
Canyon’s offense got rolling with three runs in the first inning. Trent Hefner drove in a run with an RBI single and a passed ball and sac fly by Brandel Barret gave the Eagles (21-3, 7-0) all the runs they would need. Leadoff hitter and starting pitcher Jack McKay helped himself out by scoring four runs.
Canyon 12, Perryton 0
Canyon 302 43x x — 12 8 1
Perryton 000 00x x — 0 3 8
McKay, (4) Alley, (5) White, and Hefner. Perez, (4) Hernandez, (5) Eylar and Eyler and (5) Hernandez.
W— McKay. L— Perez. 2B— Canyon: Barrett, Livermore. Records: Canyon 21-3, 7-0. Perryton 9-12, 2-5.
Dumas offense tames Herd
Runs were not hard to come by Dumas during an 11-6 win against Hereford on the road Friday.
Hereford took a 3-0 lead in the first inning on doubles by Jake Martin and Zack Gonzalez.
Dumas responded in the third, taking over for good by scoring seven runs to take a 7-3 lead. The first three batters for Dumas got on with a single and after three walks tied the. A single by Juan Cota and a two-run double by Brayden Rushings gave the Demons the lead.
Dumas leadoff batter Broc Kinukin set the table for the Demons, goimg 3-for-5.
Dumas clinches a playoff spot moving to 5-2 in district and 12-10 overall. Hereford falls to 7-12, 3-4.
Dumas 11, Hereford 6
Dumas 007 300 1 — 11 14 0
Hereford 300 000 3 — 6 11 2
Cabeen, (7) Cardenas, and Cota. Gonzales, (5) Ramirez, and Nevarez. W— Cabeen. L— Gonzales. 2B— Dumas:Cardenas, Rushing. Hereford: Martin, Gonzales. Records: Dumas 12-10, 5-2. Hereford 7-12, 3-4.
Pampa scores 17 in marathon win
A fan of pitching wasn’t a fan of this game as the Pampa Harvesters outlasted rival Borger 17-9 in a District 4-4 clash at Borger on Friday.
Scoring abounded for the Harvesters as they found runs in every inning of a game that went the distance.
Cayson Steward highlighted the Harvesters offensive outburst thanks to a 3-run triple in the top of the fifth. Teammate Troy Perez also impressed going 2-for-5 with a pair of RBIs.
Pampa improves to (12-8 overall) and 4-3 in district. Borger’s struggles continue at 2-20, 0-7.
Pampa 20, Borger 2
Pampa 321 441 2 — 17 8 5
Borger 130 401 0 — 9 9 7
Hill, (5) Nichols, and Stout. Counts, (2) Chambers, (5) Harbin, and Parker. W— Hill. L— Counts. 2B— Pampa:Miranda, Steward. Borger: Parker. Records: Pampa 12-8, 4-3. Borger 2-20, 0-7.