Mount Pleasant, TX Trailing one game to none in their regional quarterfinal the Linden-Kildare Tigers needed a big performance to even the series at one.
Enter Jacob Owen who stepped to the mound at Eagle Field at Bob Baker Stadium and meticulously pitched the Tigers to a 15-1 victory over the Rivercrest Rebels on Friday.
Owen held the Rebels to one run on three hits, earning three strikeouts while giving up only one walk in his five-inning complete game.
L-K scored two in the second inning. Following a Colt Neville single, Rebel pitcher Will Grider hit Tigers Trent Wert and Chase Bynum on consecutive at bats to load the bases. Dalton Alford doubled to score Wert and Bynum. L-K would never relinquish the lead.
The Tigers big inning came in the fourth. L-K scored 10 runs on six hits, a walk and two more hit batsmen. Dalton Alford, Owen, Trey Schuler and Nic Kunze all singled. Mason Johnson added a triple and Alford had a second single in the inning to plate the 10 runs.
The final frame saw Schuler and Kunze pickup lead off walks and then advance a base on a wild pitch. Mason Johnson singled to plate both runners. Johnson would later score on a Rebel wild pitch.
The Tigers picked up 11 hits on the night. Dalton Alford went 4 for 5, Mason Johnson had 2 hits including a triple and earned 4 RBIs. Left fielder Trent Wert did yeoman's work picking up 3 walks and was hit by a pitch en route to scoring three runs.
Will Grider took the loss for the Rebels surrendering eight hits and nine runs, with four hit batsmen and a walk in 3 1/3 innings pitched.