Longview found itself in a baseball battle on Friday night, and used a fifth inning surge to top Texas High in a back-and-forth 8-7 home district win.
The Lobos improved their overall season record to 10-6 and District 15-5A mark to 2-0, while the Tigers dropped to 7-5 and 0-2.
“It was huge,” Longview baseball head coach Jim Goldman said of his team’s hard-fought performance on Friday. [Starting Pitcher] Cole [Ramey], this is the only sub-par start he’s had, but Campbell [Williams] came in and did a great job [in relief]. We [also] had a lot of big hits. That was a big win for us. We had a good week.”
Longview experienced a good start to the game because its lineup produced a successful offensive inning in the bottom of the first. Ronald Woods drew a leadoff walk, and used his speed to steal second base, advance to third on Taylor Tatum’s sacrifice groundout, and score the first run of the night during a wild pitch.
Jordan Allen then walked, stole second base, and came home for a 2-0 Longview lead during Drew Flores’ two-out RBI.
Flores finished the outing with two hits and two RBIs, and Tatum earned two hits, a RBI and a run.
Ramey also retired the first four Texas High batters he faced, but that streak eventually came to an end in the top of the second. He walked Knox Pilgreen and Dalton Raley, hit Ean Crite with a pitch to load the bases, and gave up a Dallon Bristow RBI single that scored Pilgreen.
Longview’s lead was cut in half temporarily because the home team got the run back in the bottom of the second. Tatum was able to make it a 3-1 score during an infield single RBI.
Texas High responded with a trio of runs in the top of the third, and another score in the fourth to take a mid-game 5-3 advantage.
But, Longview used 10 batters to return to form and score five runs in the bottom of the fifth. Allen started the comeback with a RBI single that scored Woods, and Williams’ big RBI triple scored Tatum and Allen and gave the Lobos the lead again.
Williams was replaced on the bases by pinch runner Jose Arellano, who came home for Longview’s next run on Flores’ RBI double.
Kacey Stine then took over Flores’ baserunning duties, and gave the Lobos an 8-5 advantage during Andrew Tutt’s RBI single.
Texas High continued to compete, and ultimately cut Longview’s lead to one in the top of the seventh. Tanner Ross’ RBI double scored Kam Wrightner and Pilgreen’s RBI sacrifice groundout scored Jacob Nowell, but Williams found the final two outs in Longview's win.
