Swinging it in stretch run

Kason Nelson threw six innings for the Lions to pick up the win.

By Brian Besch
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A consistent offense with several contributors propelled Livingston to a 12-4 victory Tuesday night over Hardin-Jefferson, breaking a tie with the Hawks for second place in District 20-4A.

After falling behind by a run on a walk and RBI-double in the first, the Lion offense went to work, scoring in four of six frames to take the series opener in convincing fashion.

“We’ve got guys who are really starting to believe in what we are doing,” Livingston coach David Miller said. “They are getting after it and starting to believe in each other and starting to play for each other. We have been just saying, ‘Get the next guy up and extend the inning.’ That is what we have been really hammering into them. Now, we are starting to get those timely hits that we were missing earlier in the season. They are playing for each other and know how to grind out those at-bats and fight their way on base, and believe that the guy behind them is going to pick them up and keep it going.”

With two out and no one on, the Livingston offense got started with a Copeland Bush single. J.T. Smith walked and two wild pitches pushed both into scoring position. Jordan Bush also walked to load the bases, and Caden Vickery brought two in with a single to left. A walk to Jordan Huson was the last batter for Hardin-Jefferson starter Jacob Milam. Rudy Marquez greeted reliever Brock Slocum with a two-run Texas Leaguer to center, putting the Lions up 4-1 after an inning.

The Hawks doubled their offensive output from the prior inning with a walk, bunt single, and sacrifice bunt to put runners on second and third. A line drive to the pitching mound went off Kason Nelson’s foot, and an overthrow at home plate allowed two to score, closing the gap to 4-3.

Smith led off the bottom of the third with a double and a wild pitch put him on third. Jordan Bush walked, and Vickery doubled in the Lions’ fifth run. Marquez collected his third and fourth RBIs of the game with a single to left. Chevy Peters doubled, and Jacob Collier hit a grounder to third that could not be played, allowing a run to score. A Copeland Bush RBI-single put the Lions up 9-3 after three innings.

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In the fourth, Smith walked and Jordan Bush sacrificed him to third. A line drive from Vickery was caught in left field, but enough to bring Smith home for a 10-3 advantage.

With two outs and no one on, pinch hitter Jerren James walked and Collier beat out an infield single. Copeland Bush was hit by a pitch to load the bases, and Smith produced a single good for two more Livingston runs. After five frames, the Lions led 12-3.

“It just took us putting a couple (of wins) in a row together,” Miller said. “That opened the floodgates and they have been seeing the ball well and swinging it. It hasn’t just been one part of the order. We’ve had some games where the bottom half came through and done the job, some games just the middle, some games that’s been the top. We will have a game like tonight where there are two outs and they just battle and battle and grind out at-bats. With two outs, I’m able to send guys and we can pile them on quick.

“It hasn’t just been one guy. Tonight, it was Vickery and Rudy. We’ve had Jerren James come up and hit a three-RBI triple. Jordan Bush has been coming through, Copeland Bush, and top to bottom, guys have been coming up in situations with runners on, almost like they are willing themselves to get it done. I couldn’t be prouder of how they are battling.”

Hardin-Jefferson would get one more in the sixth, but Livingston’s Nelson held off any further damage. Giving the Lions six innings saved most of the bullpen for Friday night’s game in Sour Lake.

“Kason has been that way,” Miller said of the hurler. “He has been consistent, with just one rough start in district. He didn’t have his best stuff tonight, but he is still competing. I told him after the second inning that he’s not going to have his stuff every night. How you battle and how you compete out there is going to determine how your night is going to go. He responded by throwing three scoreless. He settled down and started attacking the zone. I’m very pleased with how he responded after that second inning.”

Huffman Hargrave (9-2) has clinched at least a share of the district championship with a win over Liberty Tuesday. Livingston (8-3) is one game behind them in second place, while Hardin-Jefferson (7-4) is in third. Hamshire-Fannett and Liberty are battling for the final postseason slot. Livingston can finish no worse than third place, but could also tie for the district lead with a win Friday and some help from the Panthers over Hargrave.