Joshua's Jacket Hits a Bullseye, Powering Off for a Spectacular Walk-Off Bunt!
Manny Aguilar's bunt single brought home the game-winning run as Cleburne defeated the defending district champions, Joshua, 3-2 Tuesday night at Cleburne High School. The Yellow Jackets improve to 12-4 and 1-2 in District 8-5A, while the Owls fall to 11-5-1 and 2-1 in districts. The two will meet for game two of the series at Joshua High School Thursday at 7 p.
m. The high-powered Joshua offense started hot when Nathaniel Chittum singled on a ground ball to center field with one out and Landon Lillagore made Zander Ballenger pay after multiple pickoff attempts by sending one past the left field wall for a 2-run home run. Cleburne attempted to respond in the bottom of the first, when Malachi Cunningham singled and advanced to second on a throwing error.
Aguilar followed with a walk and Beaux Douthitt loaded the bases with a single to left. The Jackets failed to bring any runners home after three straight putouts by pitcher Kallin Whisenant. The score held until the bottom of the fourth, when two walks and an error led to a run scored by Aguilar on a sacrifice bunt to bring it within one.
After a scoreless fifth and another missed opportunity by Cleburne with bases loaded, the Jackets tied it up in the sixth off an Owl mistake. With two outs in the frame, Douthitt and Ballenger walked to keep the inning alive. Carter Howe hit a hard ground ball to the shortstop, who made an inaccurate throw to first for an E6.
In the final inning, Joshua went down in order to Ballenger. The bottom of the seventh began with back-to-back hit by pitches to Ryan Finley and Dyland Staton, followed by a sacrifice bunt by Ty Cavett. With runners at first and second, the Owls wanted a chance at a double play and intentionally walked Cunningham and loaded the bases.