David buzzes through Bears lineup with 10 K’s

Warren Arceneaux

GRAND LAKE — In search of challenges as the baseball regular season winds down, the Grand Lake Hornets showed they are ready for a postseason push in an 8-5 nondistrict win over Highland Baptist.

The win was the eighth straight for Grand Lake (17-1).

The Bears (15-5) entered the game on a four-game winning streak, in which they had scored 42 runs. For most of the game, they struggled to get anything going against Hornets starter Devin David (6-0), who struck out 10 and allowed two runs on five hits over the first six innings. He picked off four baserunners.

“I was executing the curveball, trying to work ahead in the count,” David said. “We compete every night and try to win every game. The bats are not always there, but our pitching and defense is.”

Hornets head coach Tyler Alton said the Hornets staff carries the team.

“Our pitching staff has been phenomenal,” he said. “Our team ERA is around 1.00. They are giving us a chance in every game. They are tremendous right now.”

The Hornets scored seven runs in the sixth inning, capitalizing on Bears mistakes. Highland made three errors in the inning, with each one leading to a run, and hit two batters with the bases loaded. Connor Guillotte drove in a run with a squeeze bunt. Kylin Broussard and Kade Massey each drove in a run with an infield single.

“We got our bunts down,” Alton said. “We talk about it every day — if you force kids to execute and make plays, sometimes they don’t. Anytime you can put pressure on somebody, things can happen.”

Broussard had two hits and two RBIs for Grand Lake. Eli Fountain scored two runs.

Highland scored three runs in the seventh inning, with Aidan McGowen, Sadler Delahoussaye and Ben Gulotta each driving in a run. Myles Liggans had two hits and scored two runs for the Bears, whose other four losses are to teams in Classes 5A-3A.

Alton said he wants to test his team ahead of the Class 1A playoffs.

“We’re looking for competitive games, a playoff atmosphere, any quality opponent that we can find,” he said. “We want to see the best everybody has so that we are not surprised when we get deep into the playoffs, because that is our ultimate goal.”

The Hornets reached the Class 1A semifinals in 2019.””

The Hornets’ Devin David prepares to deliver a pitch against Highland Baptist during a nondistrict game Friday at Grand Lake High School.

Rick Hickman / American Press

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