WEATHERFORD – The Brownwood Lions surrendered at least two runs in each of the first four innings – including an eight-spot in the top of the second – as the Iowa Park Hawks completed a Region I-4A bi-district sweep with a 14-4 victory Saturday.
The District 6-4A third seed Lions (10-13) allowed a dozen runs before scratching across their first two of the series in the bottom of the third inning. District 5-4A co-champ and second-seeded Iowa Park (19-8-2) stretched the lead back 12 runs, 14-2, but Brownwood added two more in its final trip to the plate this season.
“Obviously things didn’t go the way we had hoped and the way we planned and prepared,” said Lions’ second-year head coach Brian Harris. “I really liked the way we prepared all week. The kids’ focus, their execution in practice, our batting practice sessions, we really were on point. But in baseball it’s really tough if you’re not on your game on the mound, not that we didn’t compete because we did compete, we just didn’t make the pitches when we needed to make the pitches. I’m proud of our guys’ effort today, no doubt. We got down early but the dugout was positive, the coaches were positive and we had some guys come off the bench and do some really good things.”
Iowa Park struck for nine runs in 1.1 innings off Brownwood starter Gavin Brandstetter, and added three runs off reliever Atticus Porter in an inning. David Turner recorded two outs without yielding a run and Byron Foster tossed two innings with a pair of runs crossing the plate on three hits.
“They swing the bat very well, but there were a lot of times where we were working behind in the count,” Harris said. “When that happens against a good hitting team, you’ve got to be on point defensively and they really just hit the ball where we weren’t.”
The Lions, who were limited to two hits Friday night, finished with eight off Iowa Park pitchers Ty Cunningham and Riley Stanford.
Kris Hobbs led the way with a double, single and two runs scored; Trynten Slaughter doubled and drove home two; Foster chipped in a single and an RBI; Case Markham doubled while Reece Bolton and Kaden Bessent both singled; and Hunter Day launched a solo home run over the left field wall with two outs in the bottom of the fifth inning.
“Hunter hits one off the light pole, what a memory in your last high school at-bat,” Harris said. “Kris hit a ground-rule double, Trynten comes off the bench and hits a ground-rule double, Byron gets on the mound and does a good job and competes and shuts them down. They’ve got a lot to be proud of.”
