A 3-3 record last weekend in the prestigious DFW Clash Tournament – Thursday, March 2 through Saturday, March 4 – propelled the Aledo Bearcats into the top 10 in the state of Texas according to the Texas High School Baseball Coaches Association.
Wins over Eastlake, Bridgeland, and Keller in the tourney set Aledo’s record on the season at 8-4 with district set to begin with the conclusion of spring break next week.
Aledo started the tournament on Thursday with a pair of 5-4 losses to Lonestar and Denton Guyer. The Rangers went up 1-0 early with a run in the home half of the second inning. The Bearcats answered back in the top of the third.
However, Bearcat hurler Jake Bumgardner struggled with his command in the bottom of the fourth, opening the door for a big inning by Lonestar. Bumgardner walked three batters in the inning and surrendered a single before being replaced on the bump by Eddie Howard.
Howard entered the game in a bases-loaded jam with no outs. He plunked the first batter he faced to bring in a second run in the inning for the Rangers. Lonestar managed to score two more runs on a walk and a single before Aledo was finally able to stop the bleeding with the 10th at-bat of the frame.
The Bearcats were able to manufacture a run in the top of the fifth after Brady McAnear walked before being driven in on a double to deep center field by Bosten Dwinell.
Aledo’s rally attempt in the top of the seventh started off in a hurry when Boyd Thompson ripped the 3-2 offering to deep right for a double. Dwinell smashed a screamer to right for his second hit of the game as Thompson advanced to third.
With no outs in the inning and runners at the corners, Trace Mazon grounded to third for a fielder’s choice that put Dwinell down at second for the first out while simultaneously scoring Thompson from third.
Brooks Dwinell stepped in the box with one gone and a runner on. Unfortunately, that didn’t last long as Mazon was picked off at first for the second out of the inning. Meanwhile, Dwinell battled at the plate from 0-2 to eventually drawing an eight-pitch walk to keep the Bearcats’ hopes alive.
Andrew Cambre crushed a deep fly ball to center that drove Dwinell in to score all the way from first. Cambre ended up with another extra base hit on the season, along with the RBI, to cut Lonestar’s lead to just a run with two gone.
The Bearcat rally ended there as Brennon Evans popped out to the Ranger catcher to end the game.
Game 2 of the tournament saw Aledo get out to a hot start with three runs in the top of the first. Denton Guyer responded with a pair of runs in the home half of the opening frame. Both teams added another run in the second inning as Aledo led 4-3 through two innings.
Scoring came at a premium the next three innings until Denton Guyer rallied to put up a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth to take a late 5-4 advantage.
Over the final two innings the Bearcats were able to put three runners on the basepath, but none were able to score as the game came to a close.
In the third game Robert Burk pitched a gem as he surrendered just one run while throwing a complete game to pick up the 6-1 win.
Bosten Dwinell went 3-for-4 with a pair of triples to lead the offensive onslaught.
A three-run top of the fifth was the difference maker for the Bearcats in the first game of Saturday as they took the 7-4 win over Bridgeland. Mazon and Evans both had a double in the game. Thompson picked up a triple while scoring twice and driving in a pair of runs, as well.
Luke Taylor picked up his second win of the season on the mound for the Bearcats in the tournament finale. He tossed six, solid innings giving up three runs across six hits. Mazon came in to pitch the seventh. He is credited with a save.
DFW Clash Tournament, March 4-6
R H E
Keller 001 011 0 - 3 6 2
Aledo 202 100 X - 5 8 1
Aledo hitting: Bosten Dwinell 1-3, SB; Trace Mazon 2-3, RBI, SB; Andrew Cambre 2-3, 2 RBI; Brooks Dwinell 1-2, BB; Ryan Jones 1-2, RBI, BB, SB; Brady McAnear RBI; Brooks Burdine 1-3, SB.
Aledo pitching: Luke Taylor 6 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 6 K; Trace Mazon 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, BB, 2 K.
Aledo 100 130 2 - 7 8 0
Bridgeland 211 000 0 - 4 7 3
Aledo hitting: Boyd Thompson 2-4, 3B, 2 RBI, SB; Bo. Dwinell 1-4, RBI; Mazon 2-3, 2B, BB, SB, RBI; Cambre 1-4; Br. Dwinell RBI; Jones BB, SB; Brennon Evans 1-2, 2B; Luke Saunders 1-2.
Aledo pitching: Garrett Addington 3.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 3 K, 1 BB; Jenson Huffman 2.2 IP, 6 H, 4 ER, 0 K, 3 BB; Saunders 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 K, 1 BB.
Aledo 200 102 0 - 5 6 3
Eaton 201 530 X - 11 9 2
Aledo hitting: Bo. Dwinell 2 BB, SB; Mazon 1-2, BB; Cambre 2-3, 2-2B, 2 RBI, BB; Evans 1-3; Garrett Rester 2-3; Taylor 2 RBI.
Aledo pitching: Matthew Clark 3 IP, 5 H, 8 R (6 earned), 4 BB, 2 K; Connor Mitchell 1 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, BB; Thompson 2 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 2 K.
Aledo 000 330 0 - 6 10 0
Eastlake 000 001 0 - 1 6 3
Aledo hitting: Bo. Dwinell 3-4, 2-3B; Mazon 1-3, BB, 2 SB; Drew Weckel 2-4, 2B, SB, RBI; Dylan Taylor 2-4, RBI; Saunders 1-3, 2 RBI, BB; Jake Bumgardner BB; Weston Nance 1-2, RBI.
Aledo pitching: Robert Burk 7 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, BB, 4 K.
Aledo 310 000 0 - 4 9 1
Guyer 210 020 X - 5 8 1
Aledo hitting: Thompson 2-4, HR, RBI; Mazon 1-3, RBI, BB; Cambre 1-2, 2B; Br. Dwinell 1-1, BB; Evans 1-4, 2 RBI; Rester 2-4, 2B, SB; Burdine 1-3.
Aledo pitching: Bryce McCain 4.1 IP, 7 H, 5 R (3 earned), 3 BB, 4 K; Addington 1.2 IP, H, 0 R, 2 K.
Aledo 001 010 2 - 4 7 3
Lonestar 010 400 X - 5 4 0
Aledo hitting: Thompson 1-2, 2 BB, 2B; Bo. Dwinell 3-4, 2B, 3B, BB, RBI, SB; Mazon 1-3, RBI; Br. Dwinell 2 BB, SB; Cambre 1-4, 2B, RBI; McCain 1-3; L. Taylor BB; McAnear BB.
Aledo pitching: Bumgardner 3 IP, 2 H, 5 R (4 earned), 4 BB, 3 K; Eddie Howard 3 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 5 K.
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