April 6, 2016 - On Tuesday, April 5th, the Center Roughriders varsity baseball team headed to Carthage's Jim Reeves Memorial Field for their sixth District 19 4A game of the season. The Carthage Bulldog offensive proved to be too much for a young Roughrider team on this day. Carthage won by a lopsided 11-1 score in a game shortened to 4 1/2 innings due to the UIL's ten-run-rule.
The Roughriders couldn't reach base with the their first three batters in the top of the first inning. In the bottom of the inning Carthage used four hits, and a batter hit by a pitch, to take a 3-0 advantage. Center's Logan Mitchell and Mike Ray made good plays in the infield, and pitcher Clay Snider struck out the final Bulldog batter of the inning to minimize the damage. The inning ended with the bases loaded.
Center scored their run in the top of the second inning when Brett Clark reached base by being hit by a pitch, and Marco Gutierrez drove him home with an RBI triple.
Snider struggled in the bottom of the second inning, and the Roughriders saw the base paths loaded twice during the inning. The Bulldogs were able to only add on a single run during the frame however, when Bryan Crawford hit a deep sacrifice fly which scored teammate Seth Ballinger.
Center went into the third inning still within reach, and trailing 1-4.
Center's offense struggled again in the top of the third and Carthage retired the first three batters with their signature polished defensive play.
In the bottom of the third frame, Carthage added four more runs to their total on three walks, a hit, a hit batter, and two errors. Center trailed 1-8.
Chase Lee led of the fourth inning with a lead-off single but that was all Center was able to get going during the stanza.
The Bulldogs added three scores in the bottom of the fourth, and Carthage pitcher Keagan Baldry did the rest as he struck out the first three 'Rider batters he faced in the top of the fifth frame.
Coach Kelly Spann's Roughriders are now 3-3 in conference play and are in third place. Carthage is atop District 19 4A with a 5-1 mark.
The 'Riders have a bye for Friday and will host Woden in a non-district game Saturday at noon at Roughrider Ballpark.
