The Kennedale Wildcats moved to 6-1-1, 4-0 after beating Venus and Alvarado in district play this past week. Kennedale has swept the first round of district play. In a change from the usual format, district teams will play each other three times this season as opposed to the usual two games each. {{more}}
March 17, Venus (W 12-1)
Tuesday night at Venus, the Wildcats beat the Bulldogs 12-1 on seven hits and multiple walks. Austin Eggleston for the Wildcats struck out 12 Venus batters allowing no earned runs on four hits and three walks over five innings.
Jake Michener, Tyler Perez and Steven Murchison helped lead the Wildcats as they combined for six hits and seven RBIs. Perez tripled in the fifth inning and doubled in the sixth inning.
In the top of the first, Kennedale recorded the first run of the game when Murchison scored on a sacrifice fly by Shane O?Connor. In the second with 2 outs and 2 on, the Cats scored four more runs off a single by Murchison followed by two walks and a single by O?Connor (fielder choice).In the fourth, the Cats added two more runs with singles by Cody Bossaller, Murchison and Michener and two walks. Venus scored their only run in the 4th on an error.In the 5th Perez hit a triple and was batted in on a ground out by Muchison making the score 8-1.
Kennedale put the game out of reach in the 6th with 5 runs. Michener started it off with a single and scored on pass ball, O?Connor and Chris Rhinehart walked and both scored off of a double by Perez. Bossaller, Murchison and Eggeston walked, scoring Perez. Michener was hit by the pitch walking home Allan Sather (courtesy runner). Venus finally got out the inning on a ground out by O?Connor.
Bradley Woodard for Kennedale adds the final touches on the win by striking out the final three Venus batters in 13 pitches (9 strikes and 4 balls).
March 21, Alvarado (W 6-4)
On Saturday after a rain postponement on Friday, the Wildcats defeated the Alvarado Indians 6-4.
Tyler Perez got the win with 3.2 innings pitched, striking out 4 with 4 hits and 4 walks, one run and no errors. Steven Murchison started the game and pitched 3.1 innings, striking out 7 with five hits, three walks and 3 runs. Kennedale recorded 2 errors.Colton Jakibusan racked up two RBIs on one hit for the Wildcats when he tripled in the sixth inning.
In the top of the third, Alvarado scored to take the lead, 2-0 on a singles by the Indians? Kirkland, Bowman and Estes. Jake Michener scored the Cats? first run in the bottom of the third, on a walk, a Shane O?Connor ground ball single and a steal, making the score 2-1.
Alvarado added two more runs in the fourth and fifth off a single by Bowman in the 4th and a Kennedale error in the 5th, expanding their lead to 4-1.
Kennedale finally came alive in the bottom of the 6th after first batter, Michener, reached on a drop ball third strike. Up next, O?Connor walked followed by a Perez single. Michener scores on a wild pitch setting up Jakibusan?s triple which drives in both O?Connor and Perez. Jakibusan scored on a wild pitch and Bradley Woodard reached first on an error. Muchison hit a single followed by an Eggleston single that plated Woodard and the final score of the game.
Alvarado?s pitchers, Bowman and Murray, combined for 7 hits, 6 runs, 6 walks and 10 strikeouts. Alvarado had 4 errors.
Next up for Kennedale is a non-district game against Springtown at home at Jet Teague Ballpark at Kennedale High School with the varsity game scheduled for 7:30 p.m.more about Wildcat Baseball at Game Changer
