THRALL – The Thrall Tigers (1-1) rallied from an early 2-0 deficit Friday to turn back the Austin Waves 6-3. It was the Tigers first win of the season.
The Waves pushed a pair of runs across the board in the first inning on a single, a walk, and a passed ball, but the Tigers responded in the bottom half of the inning. With one out, Maverick McAllister was hit by a pitch and moved to second on a called balk. Jack Watson followed with a walk to put a pair of runners on for the Tigers.
The Waves’ pitcher attempted a pick off at second and the ball scooted through into the outfield allowing both runners to advance. The centerfielder struggled to get a handle on the ball, and the second Waves error brought home both runs, knotting the score at two.
Austin regained the lead in the top of the fourth. The Waves picked up a single and a walk, and a wild pitch allowed a run to score, giving the visitors a 3-2 advantage.
Thrall took the lead for good in the bottom half of the fifth inning. Watson, Hayden Heselmeyer, and Tyler Bonkowski drew consecutive walks to open the Tiger fifth. Watson tied the game at three when he scored on a wild pitch, and Bobby Clark put the Tigers ahead with his single to left. The Tigers added one more run, when Bonkowski scored on an error, making the score 5-3.
The Tigers added an insurance run in the sixth inning when Watson scored on another Waves error.
Thrall managed just one hit in the game, Clark’s fifth-inning single, but a series of pitching miscues by the Waves allowed the Tigers to pick up the win. The Tigers were at home Tuesday night playing host to the Bruceville-Eddy Eagles and will take part in the Valley Mills tournament beginning Thursday.
