Bulldogs Baseball

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Howe’s Austin Haley not only threw a no-hitter, but also hit a run-

scoring triple against Blue Ridge on Friday. Photo by Michelle Carney.

What a Friday night it was for junior Austin Haley who threw a complete game no-hitter and flicked an RBI triple to help lead the Bulldogs to a 2game sweep of the Blue Ridge Tigers. Howe (7-10, 3-5) split the series during the week as it began with a 3-2 heartbreaking loss that could come back to cost Howe in seeding for playoffs.

Starting pitcher Carson Daniels got two quick outs on Tuesday before back-to-back-to-back walks which scored on a double to give the Tigers a 3-0 lead. Daniels settled down nicely, and Howe scored two runs in the third inning on a double by Haley that scored Parker Pecina and an unearned run scoring Haley. the minimum as he sat down 21 of the 22 batters he faced. Haley struck out 14 batters while allowing no hits and no walks. Blue Ridge number nine hitter Gelvin reached on an error otherwise it would have been a perfect game.

The Dogs came away with a 2-0 win thanks to Haley helping himself out at the plate with a run-scoring triple in the third plating Pecina, who walked in front of him.

Blue Ridge pitching was outstanding allowing only four hits in total. Kaleb McNutt, Ryan Hough, and Luke Catching each singled to go along with Haley’s triple.

Howe had a chance to tie the game in the top of the seventh when Luke Lopez tripled and Pecina was hit by a pitch bringing up the team’s leading hitter in Haley. However, a ground out to third ended the game. Howe will host Bells on Tuesday and travel there on Friday. Bells is sitting in a 3-way tie for second with Pottsboro and Whitewright. Howe is two games out of the playoff hunt. A sweep of Bells would bring them even at 5-5 each in district play.

On Friday, Haley faced one batter over

District 11-3A Standings

Gunter 8-0 Bells 5-3 Pottsboro 5-3 Whitewright 5-3 Blue Ridge 4-4 Howe 3-5 Leonard 2-6 Bonham 0-8