RAY CLUBS 3RD HOME RUN, BEARCATS POUND BULLDOGS

Rylen Ray hit a two run home run in the midst of an eight run third inning and the Bearcats pounded Waldron 13-1 Tuesday at the Billy Kiersey Baseball/Softball Complex.

With the Bearcats (10-3, 4-1 Conference 3A-4 South) leading 5-1 the eight run third started with a Dylan Todd single. Blazen Jones (2-for-2) doubled and Todd scored on a wild pitch during Brooks Herrera’s at bat.

Herrera (2-for-3) singled to score Jones to make it 7-1 bringing up Ray who hit the first pitch he saw out of the park to left for his team leading third home run of the season.

The inning got worse for the Bulldogs as the next four Bearcats reached with a run scoring on a passed ball.

After two were down Todd (2-for-3) singled home two to make it 12-1 and two batters later scored on Herrera’s second run scoring single of the inning to make it 13-1.

At that point Peyton Tatum (3-0) had set down seven straight Bulldog hitters. He would run the streak to 12 in a row before a fifth inning walk, one batter before a fly ball ended the game via run-rule.

Tatum needed just 76 pitches for the five-inning complete game. He allowed three hits and struck out six.

All three Waldron hits came in the first inning with the third driving in the first run of the game.

The Bearcats more than got that back with a five run bottom of the first in which the first five hitters reached, though only Tatum (2-for-2) was via a base hit. There were two walks and two errors as well.

Tatum’s single drove in a run and a second one scored on an error allowing Dunn Daniel (shown making a catch in right field) to reach.

Jace Washburn singled home the third run and, with two away, Jones drove in two with a single, becoming the first of what would be four Bearcat hitters with two RBI days.

The Bearcats are scheduled to face Alma at home on Thursday and Cossatot River in a final 3A-4 South game on Friday, also at the Kiersey Complex.