Local Weather Forecast
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Complete Forecast for  Jul 24 2008

By SHANE STARK
Staff Writer

KILGORE — The Bullard baseball team will continue the postseason when it meets Pleasant Grove in a Class 3A regional quarterfinal tonight.

The one-game playoff is set for 7 p.m. at Driller Park.

The winner will meet either Kennedale or West in the regional semifinals. Kennedale and West are playing a best-of-3 series this week.

Bullard coach Ronnie Dent expects a close finish at Driller.

“I think it’s going to be a tight game if both pitchers are on,” he said. “I don’t see a whole lot of hits, but the ones that do fall in are going to be crucial. It’s probably going to boil down to a mental or physical error sometime during the game.”

Bullard (21-7), which will start nine-game winner Nick Rumbelow, is coming off a two-game sweep of Spring Hill in the area round. The Panthers won both games 6-1.

In the deciding game, Bullard started strongly when slugger Austin Camp recorded a grand slam in the first inning.

Travis Eudey added a two-run homer in the fifth to give the Panthers breathing room, while Rumbelow pitched a complete-game six-hitter with nine strikeouts.

In the series opener, Bullard rallied for five runs with two outs in the bottom of the sixth.

Pleasant Grove (21-8) swept Kemp in the area round. The Hawks won 2-0 and 10-2.

“I’ve seen Pleasant Grove play over the years quite a few times,” Dent said. “Every team they’ve had has been a well-coached and well-disciplined team. They’re going to do whatever it takes to beat you. That’s a variety of different ways.”

Meanwhile, Dent lost a coin flip to determine whether the matchup would be one game or best-of-three.

“I’m always about two-out-of-three. If you made the playoffs, enjoy the playoffs,” he said. “I understand where other coaches come from with the one game. They’re doing what they think is best for their team.

“To be honest, coach (Craig) Jones over at Pleasant Grove wasn’t really sure. It wasn’t like he absolutely, for sure, wanted one game. He was kind of torn in between. He’s always been a three-game series guy.”