Land Sharks Use free passes to walk around bases, beat Broncos 4-3

Warren Arceneaux

MOSS BLUFF — Sam Houston fed the Sharks and ultimately paid the price in a 4-3 District 3-5A loss to Southside.

Each of the Southside runners to score reached on a free pass — three walks, one hit by pitch. Sam Houston committed two errors in the seventh inning when Southside scored the winning run without getting a hit.

John Gray was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning, Pinch runner Brock Jones moved to third on an errant pickoff throw and scored on a Culley Holden squeeze bunt.

The Broncos had a chance to tie in the bottom of the inning when Dallas Rhodes singled with one out and stole second base, but Southside pitcher Ian Holm got a strikeout and grounder to end the game.

“We gave up two hits,” Broncos head coach Chad Hebert said. “Seven walks, hit batter, five errors … that is not going to win many games, especially with the way we hit the ball today.

“We didn’t hit the ball hard, we didn’t manufacture runs — I don’t think we got a bunt down in the game. When you are playing like that, you are not going to win. It caught up with us today, not playing clean baseball. Sometimes we try to get too big, try to hit a six-run homer that doesn’t exist, instead of just putting the ball in play somewhere.”

Jordan Thompson singled twice and drove in two runs to lead the Broncos. Austin Blankenship added a pair of singles.

Southside batted around and scored three runs in the third inning. Sam Houston walked four batters in the inning. Gavyn Menard, Gray and Bryce Barton reached on consecutive walks. All three came around to score. Menard tagged and scored on a foul ball down the right-field line. Holden singled to score the other two and give Southside a 3-1 lead.

Sam Houston opened the scoring in the second inning when Dylan Thompson singled and scored on a grounder by Carson Devilier. The Broncos added a run in the fifth when Jordan Thompson singled to score Griffin Hebert. The Broncos tied the score in the bottom of the sixth inning when Southside returned the favor by walking four batters in an inning — the last to Jordan Thompson with the bases loaded to score Grayson Harlow.””

The Broncos’ Dylan Thompson pitches in relief against Southside Tuesday at Sam Houston High School in Moss Bluff .

Kirk Meche””

The Broncos’ Griffin Hebert covers third base as Southside’s Connor Pleasant beats the throw Tuesday at Sam Houston High School in Moss Bluff.

Kirk Meche / Special to the Daily News

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