Cayden Watson went 4-for-4 and Ty Bradford drove in four runs to help the Thrall Tigers (3-3 overall, 1-0 District 27-2A) to a 24-1 rout of the Bartlett Bulldogs Tuesday night.
The Tigers scored five or more runs in each of their four innings at the plate as they shelled four Bartlett pitchers for 16 hits. Bartlett starting pitcher Tate Tipton lasted just one-third of the first inning after the Tigers led off the inning with a pair of singles and a pair of walks bookended around a run-scoring fielder’s choice for a 4-0 lead. They added one more run before the inning was over.
In the second, the Tigers sent 13 batters to the plate and added nine runs to their total. The first three runs of the inning came without the benefit of a single base hit by Thrall. A pair of hit batters, two walks, and a two-run error made the score 8-0 with one out. The remaining six runs came with two outs, and the Tigers did get to the Bartlett pitching staff for a pair of hits. Bradford hit a two-run single to right field and Watson lined a two-run double to left and the Thrall held a 14-0 lead after two.
It was more of the same in the third, but this time the Tiger bats did most of the damage. Brady Peterson and Mac Hamann led off the inning with consecutive singles and the bases went full when Tyler Bonkowski was hit by a pitch. Peterson came home on Maverick McAllister’s ground out and two more runs came across on another Bartlett error. Bradford and Watson followed with back-to-back doubles to make the score 19-0 heading into the fourth.
The Bulldogs finally managed to record a hit in the top half of the fourth. A run-scoring double with two outs helped Bartlett avoid the shutout and the no-hitter.
Thrall added five more in its half of the fourth. Five straight hits by the Tigers scored four and pushed their advantage to 23-1 and they added one more run to top off the scoring.
Watson picked up the win, allowing one hit and one run over five innings of work. He added eight strikeouts to his performance.
Thrall was hosting a tournament beginning Thursday. The Tigers will resume district play on Tuesday with the return match against the Bulldogs, this time in Bartlett.
