Friday’s Baseball + Softball Roundup: Center Keeps Season Alive + Elysian Fields Has Edge on Sabine in Softball Playoffs

HUNTINGTON -- Carthage had a nice evening with a lot of players involved in its 8-4 win at Huntington.

The Bulldogs used five pitchers while everyone in the offensive lineup recorded a hit on the way to 12 hits total.

William Ritenberry and Jarod Blissett both recorded two hits. Ritenberry doubled and tripled.

Blake Bogenschutz got the win and elevated his record for 5-1 prior to entering the playoffs.

Carthage itself finished the regular season 19-7 and 11-1 in District 20-3A with the win over Huntington.

The Bulldogs will play a three-game playoff series against Fairfield with all games being played at Bullard High School. Game 1 will be played Thursday at 7:30 p.m., Game 2 is scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday and a Game 3 would be played at 2 p.m. if the two teams split the first two games.

Center Keeps Season Alive

CENTER -- The Roughriders kept their season alive with a 6-0 win against Pollock Central elsewhere in District 20-3A.

With the win, Center tied Jasper for fourth place in the district and forced a one-game playoff Monday at a time and location to be determined.

Dalton Horton pitched a gem for the Roughriders. He struck out 12 and allowed just one hit and three walks in the complete-game shutout.

Josh Burns batted 2-for-3 for Center with a triple. Ross Mahan went 2-for-4 with a double and Taylor Tomlin was 1-for-3 at the plate with an RBI.

SOFTBALL

HALLSVILLE -- Elysian Fields defeated Sabine 11-1 to take take Game 1 of the two teams' 2A Region III bi-district series.

The Yellowjackets and Sabine traded runs in the first inning, but Elysian Fields had worked out to a 4-1 lead through five innings and then added seven more runs in the seventh winning.

Kaycee Bailey led the Yellowjackets' charge with a 3-for-4 night. Montanna Methvin, Jane Harris, Jacey Doyle and Raigan Golloday all batted .500 or better.

Elysian Fields was aided by four Sabine errors.

Keely Howard earned the win for the Yellowjackets with three hits and three walks allowed over seven innings of work.

Elysian Fields and Sabine will resume their series at Hallsville High School today at 5 p.m. If Sabine wins Game 2, the third and final game of the set will take place 30 minutes after the conclusion of the second game.

Bullard Wins Game 1 Versus Athens

GRAND SALINE -- Bullard topped Athens, 3-1, in the opening game of their Class 3A bi-district series.

The Lady Panthers worked their way out to a 3-0 lead through four innings before Athens answered back with its lone run in the fifth frame.

Coco Springer pitched a two-hit, complete-game win with 13 strikeouts in the process while also batting 2-for-4 for Bullard.

The Lady Panthers and Athens will resume their series at noon in Grand Saline. If Athens wins Game 2, the third and final game of the series will begin 30 minutes after the conclusion of the noon game.