WHITEHOUSE, Texas -- Texas High started the District 15-5A baseball schedule the hard way.
Instead of playing two road games and two home games in the first two weeks, rain and wet fields forced the Tigers to play their first four league games on the road.
They were struggling at 0-3 when they had to make their fourth straight road game Friday night at No. 4 ranked Whitehouse, which shared the district lead at 3-0 with Hallsville.
Texas High coach John McClure then put the ball in the hands of pitcher Tanner Ross, who stopped the Wildcats on their home field, 7-3.
Ross just missed a complete-game win, pitching 6 2/3 innings. He gave up 3 runs on 5 hits, walked 4 and struck out 8 in getting the Tigers back in the win column in league play.
Knox Pilgreen, the third Tiger pitcher, struck out a batter in the bottom of the seventh to preserve the victory.
"Tanner Ross was dominant on the mound. By far the best game I've seen Tanner throw," McClure said. "We had a lot of timely hits and stayed in control the entire game."
Now things are looking better for Texas High (8-7 overall and 1-3 in district). Hallsville (14-5, 4-0) is in sole possession of first place, and Whitehouse (14-5, 3-1) and Marshall are tied for second (13-5, 3-1). Whitehouse will host Hallsville in a early league showdown on Tuesday.
The win lifted the Tigers out of the cellar. But they looked like anything but a lower-division team against the Wildcats. Two of their three losses were by a single run (2-1 to Marshall and 3-2 to Longview). Hallsville is the only team to convincingly defeat Texas High, 10-1.
Pilgreen had 2 hits, including a triple, to drove in a run. He also scored twice. Kam Wrightner had two hits and scored twice, Jacob High had a run-scoring triple and scored a run and Ross supported himself with an RBI double.
Austin Treadway also had a single as Texas High outhit the hosts, 8-5.
And what's next for the Tigers?
Yes, another road game Tuesday at Mount Pleasant. They will attempt to play their first district game at home on Thursday against Pine Tree.