Jonesboro-Hodge is scheduled to open its season on Wednesday, February 18th, with a double-header at Woodlawn – Shreveport after having its first three games of the year postponed, while both Quitman and Weston have the rest of the week off.
After both WHS and QHS reeled off three victories in a row over the past five days, Weston holds a 3-1 record and a #5 ranking in the “way too early” Class B power ratings, while Quitman is at 3-3 for the season and is ranked #11 overall.
Weston 7 Mangham 3 (February 12): Colton Blundell went 2/2, scored twice, and drove in 3 with the Wolves first home run of the season in the bottom of the sixth inning that put the finishing touches on a four-run rally that broke a 3-3 tie against the Division IV foe. Weston garnered 8 hits on the day, led by 3 from leadoff batter Drew Browning, singles by Liam Weaver and Kolt Keiffer, and a double from Dawson Griffin. Browning got the win with a complete game, 7 inning effort where he struck out six.
Weston 14 Ouachita Parish 2 (February 13): The Wolves pounded out 7 hits, four that went for extra bases, and took advantage of 19 free passes issued by four Ouachita Parish pitchers, including having six reach base after being hit by a pitch. Colton Blundell continued to swing the “big stick”, smashing a pair of triples, scoring a pair of runs, and knocking in an early-season team best 5 RBI. Jase Borders and Drew Browing also had big games with each stroking a double and scoring 4 and 3 runs respectively. Kyptin Caskey chipped in with 2 runs scored while Kolt Keiffer, Beaux Oliver, and Dawson Griffin all crossed home plate to round out the scoring.
St. Mary’s 8 Quitman 5 (February 13): A three-run rally in the top of the 6th inning wasn’t enough to overcome an 8-2 deficit against their foe from Natchitoches in the Wolverines opening game of the Many tournament. Hudson Pullig, Maddox Duck and Conner Moak, who had Quitman’s only extra base hit with a double, all had two hits each. Tucker Barnett and Kase West, who had 2 RBI’s, also got a hit for the Wolverines, while Asher Burns scored twice.
Quitman 6 Zwolle 3 (February 14): The Wolverines blasted out 12 hits and scored in five of their 7 at bats to get their first win of the season. Kase West (2-2B, 3 RS, 2 SB) and Maddox Duck (2B, RBI, RS) led the offensive onslaught with three hits each while Cail King added a pair of singles, scored a run and knocked one in. Conner Moak got a hit and scored a run, while both Tucker Barnett and Zach Smudricks added a single each.
Quitman 2 Ebarb 1 (February 14): Asher Rhodes hit a fly ball to right field that scored Tucker Newton for the “walk-off” victory in the bottom of the seventh inning. After both teams were unable to score over the first six frames, Ebarb scored one in the top half of the 7th, setting up the late game heroics that started when Maddox Duck drew a walk, Newton reached on an error that tied the game up, and Cail King stroked a single leading to the final blow that gave Quitman their second victory of the day. Kace West and Zach Smudricks combined for a four-hit, one-run effort while striking out nine.
Quitman 13 Choudrant 11 (February 16): Going from a pitchers’ duel to a slugfest, the Wolverines scored twice in the top of the 10th inning to break an 11-11 tie and take the thrilling victory at Pat Patterson Park on the campus of Louisiana Tech. The winning rally started with Maddox Duck (2B, 2 RS, RBI, hitting the last of his three hits followed by a triple from Kace West, who posted a monster day of 4 hits, 4 RBI, and 2 runs scored. Conner Moak 2 RBI, RS) then hit a sacrifice grounder for the final run. Hudson Pullig, who scored 2 runs early, got the win by shutting down Choudrant over the final two innings. Maddox Duck also had a big game with three hits, including a double and scoring twice, while Tucker Newton chipped in with a double, single, 2 RBI, 2 steals, and a run scored, and Tucker Barnett got two hits, scored two runs, knocked one in, and stole a base. Hudson Pullig scored twice and had an RBI while Cail King knocked a run in and scored one. Asher Rhodes also scored a run.
Weston 11 Beekman Charter 0 (February 17): Jase Borders and Colton Blundell combined to limit Beekman-Charter, coached by Quitman High alum Todd Ford, to just one hit and no runs while striking out 9 in the five-inning game called early by the “mercy rule”. The Wolves stayed hot at the plate with 10 hits that included five doubles. Kyptin Caskey (2 RBI) had three of the hits and one of the two baggers, while Colton Blundell (RBI, RS) and Ty Henderson (2-2B, RBI) had two hits apiece. Drew Browing roped a double, knocked in 3 and scored twice while Dawson Griffin and Beaux Oliver scored a pair of runs each. The “Border Boys”, Eric (2B) and Jase, also scored a run each.
Parkway 13 Quitman 4 (February 17): The Division I opponent was simply too strong as Parkway used 5 extra base hits to post 10 runs in the first three innings and drop the Wolverines to 3-3 on the season. Hudson Pullig, Maddox Duck, and Kase West all stroked doubles for Quitman and got 5 of the Wolverines 7 hits on the day. Tucker Newton and Tucker Barnett also hit a single each.