TEXARKANA, Texas -- Texas High didn't draw first blood.
Marshall did.
The visiting Mavericks took a 2-0 first-inning lead over the Texarkana crew Friday night at THS' Tiger Field.
It was gut check for baseball skipper John McClure's surging Tigers (12-8), who have won 6 of their last 7 games to move into a third-place tie with Mount Pleasant (15-8), both having 6-4 district records. Texas High holds a tiebreaker over the Titus County Tigers virtue of being them twice in head-to-head competition.
"We got hit in the mouth in the first inning, tied it up in the second, and extended the lead throughout the game," McClure said.
"Tanner Ross did a great job of weathering the storm after the first inning and put up 5 zeroes on the scoreboard. I think it is a positive when you get behind early and then respond the way we did."
Coming from behind in a critical district game against Marshall (15-9, 5-5) was a good sign to the Tiger coach.
"We showed we don't panic and this was a big win for us, one we had to have," he said. "Anytime you get a 'W' it's a good win."
Ross ruled the hill from the second inning on. After the shaky start when he gave p two earned runs, he settled into a rhythm and kept Marshal's bats silent. He gave up 7 hits in 5 1/3 innings, striking out 9 and walking 4.
Ross threw 104 pitches, with 57 being strikes. Chandler Williamson
McClure said when his team gets strong pitching and plays good defense, they can play with anybody in the district.
The Tigers played errorless ball against Marshall, while the visitors committed four. Only three of Texas High's runs were earned.
It didn't take the Tigers long to get back in the game against the Mavericks. They tied it a 2-all in the second and scored what would be the winning run in the third. They added two in the fifth and one in the sixth to close out the convincing 6-2 triumph.
Ross and Jacob Yowell had two hits each to pace Texas High's 6-hit attack, with both slapping line-drive doubles. Yowell drove in a run as did Austin Treadway and Knox Pilgreen. Kam Wrightner smacked a triple in four at-bats.
Texas High will close out its 7-game homestand Tuesday against highly ranked district-leading Whitehouse (21-5, 9-1) at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Tiger Field.
Texas High handed Whitehouse its only district loss, 7-3, on the Wildcats' home turf.
Hallsville (17-7 overall) is second in the district with an 8-2 record.
The Tigers' final two regular-season are on the road at Longview Pine Tree (11-13, 2-8) next Friday and Tyler (1-21, 0-10) on Tuesday, April 23.
"We'll take them one game at a time, and our next focus is on Whitehouse," McClure said.