HoweEnterprise.com
3
April 5, 2021
Bulldogs swept by Gunter
Bulldogs players stand for the anthem before Tuesday’s game at Gunter. Photo by Carla Burnett. The Howe Bulldogs fall to a 5-13 record on the season including 06 in district play. Due to COVID shortening the season to one game a year ago, Howe hasn’t won a district game since the final game of the 2019 season. The Bulldogs were swept this week by a very good Gunter Tigers team who improves to 18-4 and 5-1 in district action. On Tuesday, Howe was 5-hit by Cooper Wade who went all five innings. Wade finished with five strikeouts and no walks and one earned run allowed. Howe’s lone run in the 10-1 loss came in the top of the third inning when sophomore Ryan Hough doubled home Brett Burnett who singled to open the inning. Dylan Hughs collected two hits in the game including a double. Luke Lopez also singled in the game. Hughs was the starter on the hill and lasted only 1.1 innings, giving up three earned runs on three walks, and one hit. He was spelled by Matt Hayes who went 2.2 innings, giving up five earned runs on eight hits. He walked one and struck out one. Carson Daniels pitched the final two-thirds of the game and getting both outs in only nine pitches. On Friday, the pitching matchup
of Parker Pecina and Isaac Villanueva was much anticipated. But it was Villanueva who went the distance holding Howe to only three baserunners the entire game. The Tiger lefthander pounded the strike zone for 28 of 31 first-pitch strikes to Howe batters. He gave up one hit to Austin Haley in the first inning and blanked the Dogs from that point on. Luke Catching and Ethan Lopez each drew the rare walk from Villanueva, but Howe was unable to capitalize on the baserunners as Howe struck out 10 times in the game. Every Bulldog with exception of Hughs went down on strikes to Villanueva. The game was scoreless heading into the third inning and Gunter took a 1-0 lead in the third. It remained 1-0 heading to the fourth with a pitching duel in full force. However, Gunter knocked out Pecina in the fourth and put up seven runs in the next three innings. Pecina went 3.1 innings allowing two earned runs on five hits. He was relieved by Burnett who left with arm tightness after 1.2 innings allowing two earned runs. Hughs was wild walking three and allowing three runs.
Howe vs. Gunter Howe at Gunter
TEXAS TRASH-OFF APRIL 1, - APRIL 30, 2021
