KILGORE — The Bullard baseball and softball teams split a District 16-3A doubleheader Friday night behind some strong pitching and timely hits in both games.
Three hits in the bottom of the sixth led Kilgore to a 4-2 win on the softball diamond.
Bullard rode the arm of Zach Eschberger and a big two-run single from Trevor Rumbelow to pace a 6-0 win for the Panthers in the baseball nightcap.
BOYS
Bullard catcher Rumbelow slapped a two-run single in the top of the third inning for all the runs the Panthers would need.
The pitching was dominant again for Bullard, behind freshman lefty Eschberger, while the defense was true to their part.
Eschberger remains undefeated in league play, striking out 11 and walking only four while scattering three hits.
Panther Cody Goode added a RBI-single to plate Jesse Duplechin for some insurance in the fourth inning.
Haden Bryant led the Panthers at the plate going 2 for 3 with a run scored. Holden Bryant walked twice and scored both times while teammate J.P. Hendrix was 1 for 3 with a sacrifice and two runs scored.
GIRLS
Kilgore chalked up league win number two taking advantage of just three hits allowed by Bullard pitcher CoCo Springer.
One of those was a game-winning two-run single by Jordan Exline that plated Anne Mehringer and McKayln Pinter.
Mehringer had previously broken up a Springer no-hitter with a single, and the late-inning rally for the win.
Winning pitcher Amber Williams struck out four and walked three, stranding eight Bullard baserunners.
Springer struck out 14 in the loss with all three hits given up in the sixth inning.
The Lady Panthers broke open a scoreless deadlock with two runs on two walks and a Lady Bulldogs error for the 2-0 lead.
Taylor Frederick paced Bullard at the plate with two hits while Sarah Wakefield, Katie Lewis, Lainie Lassetter, Sara Ritch and Hana Woyt added singles.
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Baseball
District 16-3A
Bullard 6, Kilgore 0
Bullard 003 110 1 — 6 6 2
Kilgore 000 000 0 — 0 3 1
Zach Eschberger and Trevor Rumbelow. Q Brewster, Joseph Sheppard (5), and Cooper Codiron. W – Eschberger. L – Brewster. SAC – B: J.P. Hendrix. K: A.J. Davis. SB – B: Holden Bryant, Haden Bryant. K: Cooper Coldiron 2, Joseph Sheppard. LOB – B: 6. K: 7.
RECORDS — Bullard 16-5 (6-1). Kilgore (3-4).
NEXT UP — Kilgore at Spring Hill, 1 p.m. today; Gladewater at Bullard, 7 p.m. today.
Softball
District 16-3A
Kilgore 4, Bullard 2
Bullard 002 000 0 — 2 7 2
Kilgore 000 202 x — 4 3 2
CoCo Springer and Sarah Ritch. Amber Williams and Celeste Anthony. W – Williams. L – Springer. SB – B: Taylor Frederick. K: Anne Mehringer 2, Amber Williams, McKayln Pinter. SAC – B: Baylee Taylor. LOB – B: 6. K: 3.
RECORDS — Bullard 15-10 (3-5). Kilgore 11-17 (2-5).
NEXT UP — Gladewater at Bullard, 5 p.m. Tuesday; Kilgore at Spring Hill, noon today.