Junior Gage Bellatti scattered six hits, walked none, and struck out seven Thursday at H.E. Markham Park to lead Liberity-Eylau past Kilgore in the first game of their best-of-three 4A bi-district series, 3-1.
Bellatti needed only 97 pitches to pitch the District 15-4A champions past the Bulldogs. The series now moves to Kilgore.
“The only stat that matters in the playoffs is whether you win or lose,” said L-E coach Zach Fowler. “Tonight we took advantage of our opportunities, and made enough plays to win. Now we have to go to their place and scrap for one more win in order to advance.”
Bellatti holds Kilgore to one unearned run
The Leopards only had four hits, but one was a home run by Bellatti. Nate Moore and Zach Brush scored Liberty-Eylau’s other runs. Hunter Burks drove in one with a single, the other on a Kilgore error.
L-E improves to 22-6-2 on the season, while Kilgore slipped to 15-10. The winner of this series advances to the area round to play Wills Point or Kaufman.