For the third time in their last four games, the Thrall Tigers (4-3 overall, 1-0 District 27-2A) scored in double figures Tuesday night.
This time it was an 18-3 rout of the Milano Eagles in both teams’ district opener.
The Tigers got things started with a pair of runs in the top of the first.
Hayden Heselmeyer, Jack Watson, and Ty Bradford each drew a walk, and with two out, Carter Bradford hit a single to deep center that score two.
Thrall added single runs in the third and fourth innings to push their advantage to 4-0, before Milano picked up a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth.
The Tigers answered with three more runs in the fifth, and led 7-2 at that point.
Milano trimmed the lead to 7-3 in the bottom of the fifth, but that was as close as they would get. The Tigers exploded for 11 runs in the top of the sixth to put the game away.
The Tiger sixth started with three consecutive walks to Maverick McAllister, Watson, and Ty Bradford, filling the bases full of Tigers.
Tyler Bonkowski and Carter Bradford were each hit with the bases juiced, forcing in a pair of runs.
Jalen Rodriguez and Bobby Clark added two more runs to Thrall’s growing total after they were both issued basesloaded walks, and the Tigers led 12-3, when Asa Gibbs roped a double to left to score two more. Milano walked in two more runs with three more walks and Thrall led 15-3, still with no outs.
The first out of the inning still allowed the Tigers to score again.
This time Heselmeyer came home on a ground out by Ty Bradford, and Bonkowski’s sacrifice fly to center made it 17-3.
Brady Burlison brought home the final run of the night with a runscoring single to right, clinching the 18-3 win.
Bonkowski led the Tigers’ nine-hit attack with a pair of hits, and he and Carter Bradford each drove in three runs. Anthony Sandoval (1-0) got his first win of the season, pitching three and two-thirds innings. He allowed four hits and two runs over that stretch.
The Tigers were hosting the Tiger Invitational Tournament over the weekend. They will return to district play next week when they host the Thorndale Bulldogs on Tuesday.
