Friday night presented another learning opportunity for the Pirates in a 7-1 district loss to Huffman-Hargrave.
The Falcons used an early surge to take control, highlighted by a four-run second inning that proved to be the difference. Huffman-Hargrave struck first in the opening inning with an RBI single then quickly built momentum in the second. A sacrifice bunt brought in a run, followed by a two-run home run and an RBI double to extend the lead. The Falcons added to their advantage in the third inning on a two-run home run, pushing the lead to 7-0.
Despite the early deficit, Shepherd continued to compete throughout the game. Marshall Reeves delivered a strong effort on the mound, going the distance with seven innings of work. He allowed seven runs, only two earned, on seven hits while striking out eight and walking just one, showing resilience against a tough lineup.
Offensively, the Pirates faced a challenge generating momentum against the Falcons’ pitching staff, but continued to battle at the plate and on the bases.
In the April 14 game against the Falcons, Shepherd was blanked 2-0.
Reeves provided the only offense with three hits, and Kyler Syracuse got the call on the mound, tossing eight strikeouts while giving up only three hits and one walk.
In a game with major playoff implications, the Coldspring Trojans fought until the final out but came up just short in a 6-5 loss to Onalaska in the April 14 contest.
With postseason positioning on the line, both teams delivered a tightly contested battle from start to finish. Onalaska broke through first in the third inning, taking advantage of a mix of timely hitting and a Coldspring miscue. A sacrifice fly, a run-scoring double, and an error helped the Wildcats build a 3-0 lead.
The Trojans battled back to tie the game in the fourth inning, using patience at the plate and productive outs. Jacoby Johnson drew a walk to help spark the rally, and James Clark added a groundout RBI to even the score and shift momentum back to the home side.
However, Onalaska answered once again in the fifth inning. A clutch double drove in a run to give the Wildcats a 5-4 edge, and they held on from there in a back-and-forth finish.
Jordan Ash turned in a strong outing on the mound for Coldspring, going the distance with seven innings of work. He allowed six runs (five earned) on 12 hits while striking out seven and walking just one, keeping the Trojans within reach throughout the night. At the plate, Coldspring showed consistency, tallying eight hits. James Clark and Jacoby Johnson led the way with two hits each, while Ethan Hamilton and Clark each drove in two runs to pace the offense.
In Friday’s matchup, a dominant performance on the mound from Kaden Hubbard gave the Trojans a 9-4 win over the Wildcats.
Hubbard was electric, striking out 13 batters over five innings while allowing just two runs on five hits. He also helped his own cause at the plate, driving in three runs as part of a big second inning that put Coldspring firmly in control.
The Trojans broke the game open in that second frame, scoring multiple runs behind key hits from James Clark, Ethan Hamilton, and Hubbard, along with disciplined at-bats that produced eight total walks on the night.
Brayden Sherman led the offense with three hits, while Hamilton added two. Cameron West showed patience at the plate with three walks and anchored a flawless defensive effort, as Coldspring committed no errors.
McCall Hilton added scoreless relief to help secure the win and close out a complete team performance.
