Donnie Cantwell and Johnny Rider combined for six hits and 10 runs batted in to lead the Granger Lions (3-6 overall, 1-3 District 27-2A) to a 12-8 win over the Thrall Tigers (8-4-1, 3-1) Wednesday.
The Lions got off to a quick start scoring four runs in the top of the first. With two on, Cantwell took a firstpitch offering over the left field fence for a 3-0 lead. Rider followed with a solo shot over center and the Lions led 4-0.
Thrall trimmed the lead to 4-2 in the Tigers’ half of the inning. Jack Watson led things off with a double and scored on Cayden Watson’s linedrive single to center. With two outs, Granger had trouble handling Hayden Heselmeyer’s grounder and Cayden Watson came around to score.
Granger pushed its advantage back to four in the top of the second. Jordan Rhoades and Nate Tucker each singled and Cantwell was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Rider’s hard single to right brought home a pair of runs and the Lions led 6-2.
Both teams put runs on the board in the third and the Tigers were able to cut the lead to 7-4 entering the fifth. The Lions pushed a pair of runs across in their half of the fifth. An error and a single put two runners on and Cantwell’s infield single scored both to give Granger a 9-4 advantage. The Tigers bounced back in the bottom of the inning with two runs of their own. A walk to Noah Hammack and a single by Heselmeyer put runners in scoring position and a Granger miscue allowed both runners to score, cutting the lead to 9-6.
Thrall continued to struggle, shutting down the Granger hitting. The Lions tallied three more runs over the final two innings, and led 12-6 going into the bottom of the seventh. Consecutive singles by Mack Hamann, Heselemeyer, and Hayden Stefek scored one run for the Tigers. And, with two outs, Hamann tagged up and scored on a fly to right field for the final run of the game.
Cantwell and Rider each recorded three hits on the day. Cantwell drove in six runs, while Rider added four. Heselmeyer led the Tigers with three hits, while Hamann and Jack Watson each had two. Tucker picked up the win, allowing 10 hits over six and one-third innings of work. Stefek took the loss for the Tigers, giving up nine runs on nine hits over five innings of work.
The Tigers were scheduled to host Rosebud-Lott on Friday, while the Lions hosted Milano.
