HALLSVILLE, Texas -- Pleasant Grove wanted some tough opposition to prepare for district play, so baseball coach Riley Fincher entered the Hawks in tournaments like Whitehouse, Lufkin and Hallsville.
Sure, the youthful Hawks took their lumps, especially in the Lufkin event where they lost all four games, but they were gaining game experience and their confidence was growing.
Pleasant Grove turned things around in the Hallsville Invitational, going 4-0 that included a sweep of Lindale on Saturday, winning by 4-2 and 6-5 scores.
With the four-game winning streak, the Hawks improved their record to 6-7-1 heading into District 15-4A action that begins this week.
"The team did a great job this weekend of responding after a previous tough weekend in Lufkin. We are continuing to get better and that's what we ask of our young men," coach Fincher said. "Our team is full of guys who are all in for each other."
And despite their losing record -- they were once 2-7-1 -- the Hawks are ranked No. 10 in the Class 4A state poll.
Their crosstown rival, Liberty-Eylau (11-4-1), which went 3-1 in the Hallsville tournament, is ranked No. 6.
The Hawks found ways to beat Lindale twice.
They scored a run in the bottom of the seventh inning that allowed them to post a 6-5 victory and a sweep of the twin bill against the Eagles.
Three PG players, Brenton Clark, Cade Martin and Jace Elrod, had a pair of hits apiece. Elrod drove in 3 runs and Clark and Martin a run each.
Jarret Halter scored two runs and had a hit. Spencer Browning added a single and scored a run.
Halter got the win, allowing one hit in 1 1/3 innings of relief.
In Saturday's other game against Lindale, Walker Wright had a hit and 2 RBIs to pace the Hawks' attack. Elrod had a hit to drive in another run.
Ty Boozer slapped a double, and Landon West, Browning and Halter had singles.
Clark notched the win, giving up 2 runs on 2 hits in 4 1/3 innings. He struck out 2, walked 2 and hit a batter.
Pleasant Grove opens district with a pair of home games this week. They will host Paris on Tuesday and Sulphur Springs on Friday. Both games will start at 7 p.m. at Hawk Field.
"We are excited about opening up our home schedule on Tuesday with Paris," Fincher said.
"Our team is excited about playing at home and getting the opportunity to play in front of a great home crowd."
Leopards win big
Liberty-Eylau extended its winning streak to three in a row by pounding Jacksonville, 12-0, and Longview, 11-4, in Saturday games.
The Leopards mauled Jacksonville in a 4-inning contest shortened by the mercy rule.
L-E pitcher Dylan Nabors gave up only one hit, a double, in 4 innings. He fanned 5 and walked 1.
The Leopards ripped 9 hits, with Triston Haugh, W.T. Jones and Eli Jarvis knocking in 2 runs apiece. Haugh and Jarvis had a pair of hits each, with Haugh belting a triple and Jarvis a double.
Gabe Jarvis added a hit and an RBI, and Collins Evans, Maddax Moore and Will Tipton had a single each.
Evans,,Haugh, Jones and Eli Jarvis scored 2 runs apiece.
Liberty-Eylau banged out 16 hits in knocking off the Classic 5A Lobos. Britain Pipes had 3 hits, including a double, to drive in 2 runs. Haugh also plated 2 runs with 2 hits, one a triple.
Winning pitcher Cam Gamble, Gabe Jarvis, Eli Jarvis and Tipton added 2 hits each.
Liberty-Eylau opens district play Tuesday at Sulphur Springs and Friday at home against North Lamar. Both games start at 7 p.m.
Hogs to play today
TEXARKANA, Ark. -- Arkansas High will battle district leader El Dorado in a Conference 5A-South game at 5 p.m. today at Razorback Field.
The Wildcats (5-2 overall) share the conference lead at 4-0 with Lake Hamilton (5-0).
Arkansas High (0-3 overall) is 0-1 in conference, but has had several games rained out.
The game against El Dorado, originally scheduled for Friday, was postponed until today because of wet field conditions.
Tigers to open district
Texas High (7-4) opens District 15-5A with a pair of games this week.
The Tigers will travel to Hallsville on Tuesday and return home Friday to clash with Longview. District games will start at 7 p.m.
