Big Seventh Inning Leads Sulphur Springs Past Carthage on Day 2 of Rose City Classic

TYLER -- Carthage erased a two-run deficit to tie Sulphur Springs in the sixth inning, but the Wildcats scored three times in the final frame to beat the Bulldogs 6-4 in Friday afternoon's Rose City Classic contest at Mike Carter Field.

The game went to the seventh inning tied 3-3, but Sulphur Springs got an RBI single from Carson Hicks and two runs off passed balls to regain the lead, 6-3. Carthage's Kolby Blissett hit a one-out RBI triple in the bottom of the inning, but the Bulldogs could not make their second comeback of the game.

Sulphur Springs built a 2-0 lead as pitcher Tyler Follis held Carthage hitless for 4 1/3 innings, but Jarod Blissett broke up the no-hitter with a one-out double down the left-field line in the bottom of the fifth. William Rittenberry plated Blissett to trim the margin to 2-1 going to the sixth, when Carthage got two more runs to tie the game. Blissett delivered with a two-run, two-out single that notted the scored 3-3, setting the stage for Sulphur Springs' game-winning, three-run seventh.

Follis pitched a complete game, scattering four runs (three earned) on six hits.

Hicks had two hits and two RBIs. His third-inning RBI double followed Brennan Brock's RBI double as the Wildcats took a 2-0 lead. Carthage cut that lead in half on Rittenberry's RBI single in the fifth.

Sulphur Springs' Alex Burney singled twice, while Ben Brooks doubled once. Ryan Ferguson had an RBI double in the top of the sixth to momentarily push the Wildcats' edge to 3-1.

Carthage lost 10-0 to Hallsville on Friday morning. The Bulldogs, who lost 5-1 to Lufkin on Thursday, are 1-3 entering Saturday's 2:30 p.m. contest against Atlanta at Mike Carter Field. Sulphur Springs faces Tyler Lee at 4:45 p.m.

Saturday's nightcap is the 7 o'clock game featuring Hallsville and Lufkin, which is expected to pitch left-hander Trey Cumbie, who holds a Rice offer and could also be a football prospect at quarterback.

23rd Annual Rose City Classic

Thursday-Saturday

All games at Mike Carter Field in Tyler unless otherwise noted

Thursday’s games

• Game 1 — Lufkin 5, Carthage 1 (at UT Tyler’s Irwin Field)
• Game 2 — Hallsville 7, Lufkin Hudson 4
• Game 3 — Hallsville 9, Nacogdoches 4
• Game 4 — Sulphur Springs 11, Nacogdoches 8
• Game 5 — Atlanta 11, Sulphur Springs 6
• Game 6 — Tyler Lee 7, Atlanta 6 (eight innings)

Friday’s games

• Game 7 — Hallsville 10, Carthage 0
• Game 8 — Sulphur Springs 6, Carthage 4
• Game 9 — Lufkin Hudson 8, Tyler Lee 3
• Game 10 — Nacogdoches 5, Lufkin 4
• Game 11 — Tyler Lee 6, Lufkin 6 (tie after 8 innings)

Saturday’s games

• Game 12 — Nacogdoches vs. Lufkin Hudson, 10 a.m.
• Game 13 — Atlanta vs Lufkin Hudson, 12:15 p.m.
• Game 14 — Atlanta vs. Carthage, 2:30 p.m.
• Game 15 — Tyler Lee vs. Sulphur Springs, 4:45 p.m.
• Game 16 — Hallsville vs. Lufkin, 7 p.m.