Bears pound out two wins at Gibbens Tournament

[KFDM COOP]

Bears pound out two wins at Gibbens Tournament
Van Wade
The Orange Leader

LITTLE CYPRESS — Little Cypress-Mauriceville played Home Run Derby in their first game at the Gibbens Tournament and then exploded late in their second game as the Bears picked up two wins at LC-M High School Thursday.

The Bears (2-1) throttled the Hamshire-Fannett Longhorns 15-2 in their first game, hitting seven home runs in the process. They came back to take their second game 8-3 against the Hardin-Jefferson Hawks.

LC-M hit the ball all over the park in their win over the Longhorns.

Both Mason Dallas and Brandon Landry drilled two home runs apiece to power the hitting parade.

Cousins Shane Waddell and Ryan Waddell added a powerful punch as well as both hit home runs while leadoff hitter Scott Vaughn got into the act as well with a dinger.

The Bears received solid starting pitching from Reid Fults, who threw four scoreless innings before being relieved in the fifth frame.

Both teams struggled from the hill in the second game as both the Bears and H-J walked eight batters apiece as the umpire had an extremely tight strike zone.

The Bears broke open the game with a four-run fifth inning.

The Hawks tallied two runs in the top of the first as they scored both runs off bases-loaded walks with Shannon Grantham and Hayden Greer getting hits in the frame as well.

LC-M broke loose for four runs in the bottom of the first.

Mason Dallas drew a walk with two outs and went to third on a double by Ryan Waddell.

With two outs, Landry made the Hawks pay, pelting his third home run of the day, this one a three-run shot over the left-centerfield fence to give LC-M a 3-2 cushion.

Casey Burleigh followed with a walk and Hunter Gonzales, who was 3-for-3, singled. Burleigh eventually crossed home after an H-J throwing error to make it 4-2.

H-J, who left 10 runners stranded through five innings of work, cut the margin to 4-3 in the top of the fifth after two singles and a walk and Trevor Christophor came home to score on a double-steal.

The Bears capped it with four runs in the bottom half of the inning.

Shane Waddell drew a leadoff walk and Landry and Burleigh followed with walks to load the bases.

Gonzales came through with a RBI single to left. Brylon Douglas then ripped an RBI single to left to make it 6-3 and catcher Kevin Adams rocketed a two-run slingle to left to cap the scoring.

The Bears outhit the Hawks 8-7.

Late games in the tourney included Lufkin Hudson vs. Crosby and Hudson vs. Hamshire-Fannett.

Today’s schedule at the Gibbens Tournament includes Crosby vs. Hardin-Jefferson (10:30 a.m.); Crosby vs. Hamshire-Fannett (1 p.m.); and LC-M vs. Lufkin Hudson (3:30 p.m.).

Games Saturday include Hamshire-Fannett vs. Hardin-Jefferson (10:30 a.m.); Hardin-Jefferson vs. Lufkin Hudson (1 p.m.); and LC-M vs. Crosby (3:30 p.m.).