Texas High's aggressive approach at the plate didn't pay off against Sulphur Springs Tuesday during Senior Night Tuesday at Tiger Field.
The Tigers had 10 one-pitch at-bats in 27 plate appearances against Wildcat right-handed Will Sims, who scattered seven hits during his team's 4-2 upset of Texas High.
The loss moves the Tigers (17-10, 10-4) into a tie with Lindale for the District 15-5A championship, and the Wildcats (14-10, 6-8) climbed into the playoff picture with the win.
Sims picked up the complete-game win, throwing 78 pitches over seven innings. He struck out four with no walks or hit batsmen. Both runs were earned.
Michael Sikorski was the hard-luck loser, giving up just six hits in 6 1-3 innings of work. Sikorski threw 95 pitches, fanned five, walked two and hit one. He was charged with all four runs.
The Tigers' Jackson Halter ripped a two-out single into left with the bases loaded in the sixth inning, scoring Ben DePriest and Rian Cellers, to give the Tigers a 2-1 lead.
Pinch-hitter Cam Radney grounded a lead off single to left, and Cellers roped a hit to right. Conner Allred beat out an infield hit to load the bases, and Halter delivered the 2-run single on the first pitch of his at-bat.
The Wildcats regained the lead in the seventh. Jaxon Chaney legged out an infield hit to start the rally, and Kamren Harrison singled up the middle. A wild pitch advanced the runners, and Austin Dodd drove in a pair of runs on his single to center.
Dodd scored an insurance run on Sims' double into the left field corner for a 4-2 lead.
Chaney broke the scoreless knot in the top of the fourth when he smacked a solo home run to right field for Sulphur Springs. The score remained 1-0 until Halter's go-ahead ground ball to left in the sixth.
Allred led off the Tigers' second inning with a line drive single to left for the game's initial hit, but he was thrown out attempting to steal second base.
The Wildcats worked a lead off walk in the top of the second, but a successful pickoff at first, following a fielder's choice, erased the baserunner. The next batter laced a line drive into the left-center alley, but Texas High center fielder Chris Lyles made a full-extension diving catch to steal the hit away from Jase Thompson.
Sims singled to left to start the Wildcat third inning, and after a fielder's choice, the No. 9 batter grounded into a 6-4-3 double play to end the inning.
Sikorski grounded a one-out single to center in the bottom of the third, and courtesy runner Cole Jean advanced to second on a fielder's choice. Wildcat shortstop Kaden Argenbright made a sliding stop on a grounder up the middle and threw out the batter to end the threat and the inning.
Allred and Halter were both 2 for 3 for Texas High, and Chaney and Sims each had two hits for the Wildcats, one of Chaney's hits his solo homer and Sims adding his RBI double.
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Will Sims and Jace Burchfield. Michael Sikorski, Chris Sutton (7) and Jackson Halter. WP-Sims. LP-Sikorski. HR: SS-Jaxon Chaney, 4th, none on.