May 18, 2018, Center’s Horseshoe Ballpark –
On Friday the Center Roughriders Varsity Baseball Team suffered a 3-0 loss in Game 2 of a Regional Quarterfinal Playoff with the visiting Kilgore Bulldogs. Kilgore won Game 1 by a 7-0 score on Thursday and they took the best-of-three game series to move on to face Crandall in the Class 4A Regional Semifinals.
Chase Hampton gained the no-hit win for the Bulldogs. He struck out five Roughriders batters during the seven inning contest. Tyler Fountain pitched the bulk of the game for Center striking out two batters and allowing five hits in 6 1/3 innings. Dalton Alexander pitched 2/3 of an inning, allowed no hits and struck out one Bulldog batter.
Kilgore infielder Ren Reynolds started out the game with a double off the leftfield wall in the top of the first inning. He scored later on a fielder’s choice which gave the Bulldogs a 1-0 advantage. Kilgore extended their lead to 2-0 in the top of the second inning when Javan Smitherman scored, after tagging, on a long sacrifice fly ball.
Reynolds scored the game’s final run in the fifth inning after doubling off the leftfield wall. He later scored on a ‘Rider throwing error.
Center finishes the 2018 baseball season with a 23-7 record after winning District 16 4A with an 11-1 conference mark.
Kilgore moves on to face the winner of the Crandall versus Decatur quarterfinal next week. Kilgore’s current record is 25-4. They won District 15 4A with a 9-1 mark.
