The Waldron Bulldogs sit 1-0 in their 2019-2020 baseball season after controlling their season opener against the Mena Bearcats on Monday night. The Bulldogs maintained a tight grip on the Bearcats during the entirety of the game sending Mena home with a 5-1 loss. “This first win was a good way to start the season,” explained head coach, Mark Brigance. “It gets the momentum going since baseball is a huge momentum sport.”
Taking their places on the pitching mound were seniors Seth Hunt and Payton Brown and sophomore Jayden McConnell. Hunt pitched four shut out innings to 18 batters striking out seven. McConnell worked two innings of relief throwing out 19 pitches to six players, and Brown closed the seventh inning with 16 pitches striking out three Bearcats.
Catching for the Bulldogs was Brown who “caught one stealing” and junior Braden Williams who “handled the catching allowing no pass balls on the day.“ Williams also scored two runs for his team. Junior, Caden Fuller, hit one off the right field wall to lead off the third inning. And “best on the day at the plate was Hunt, who went three for four with two doubles.” Waldron earned a total of seven putouts on the game with senior Ruben Valdez along with Brown each bringing in two and Hunt, McConnell, and sophomore Blake Owens scoring one apiece.
The next round for the Bulldogs will be on Thursday, March 5 at 3:30 p.m. in Horatio as part of the DeQueen Tournament.
