Whitehouse followed up a chaotic moment with solid pitching, timely hitting and its first win.
The Wildcats rode the right arm of Patrick Miner, who went the distance, in a 4-1 victory over Robert E. Lee on Saturday in the final game of the 26th Annual Rose City Classic at Mike Carter Field.
It was the second game in a row in the Classic for Whitehouse, which was denied an opportunity to tie Sulphur Springs minutes earlier when a dugout-clearing brawl erupted between the teams in the top of the seventh, causing the umpires to declare the game over with both teams forfeiting.
Whitehouse went into the seventh trailing 3-0 and had pulled to within 3-2 with no outs and a runner on third when a Wildcats player attempted to break up a double play with a takeout slide that was out of the baseline. The umpire called the Whitehouse player out for the double play with the tying run scoring, but a pushing match ensued between the Sulphur Springs infielder and Whitehouse baserunner.
It looked to have died down until one player tackled the other. This brought out both teams from the dugouts were several punches were thrown by both teams.
Fifteen minutes later, a still fired up Whitehouse squad scored two runs off Lee starter Bradley Rippy in the top of the first inning.
Clayton Pruitt singled to lead off and went to second on a single by Tanner Roach. The two Wildcats then took off on a double steal with the throw from REL’s catcher going past third to score Pruitt. Roach came home on a single by Fiver Trimble.
Those were the only two runs Rippy allowed, going six strong with six strikeouts in a losing cause. Lee catcher Kade Keener also threw out four Whitehouse baserunners.
When REL was up to bat, the Red Raiders could not push a run across against Miner until the bottom of the sixth, despite opportunities in four of their first five innings.
In the sixth, trailing 2-0, Zach Fernandez singled and went to third when the ball got by Whitehouse’s right fielder. He then scored on a sacrifice fly from Rhett Parker. Daniel Nick singled with two outs and Nate Dial reached on an error, which put runners at the corners, but Miner got the next batter to ground out on a great defensive stab and throw by Roach at shortstop.
Whitehouse tacked on two insurance runs in the top of the seventh on a two-out 2-run single by Pruitt.
Miner did the rest to finish off a complete game win, allowing one unearned run while scattering eight hits with one walk and six strikeouts.
Lee finished the Rose City Classic 1-4 with Whitehouse also 1-4 to begin its season.
Lindale, Hallsville and Waxahachie each finished 4-1.
26th Annual Rose City Classic
(Games at Mike Carter Field)
Thursday’s Scores
Robert E. Lee 8, Nacogdoches 1
Waxahachie 11, Nacogdoches 1
Lindale 7, Forney 6
Hallsville 11, Whitehouse 8
Forney 6, Sulphur Springs 5
Lindale 8, Sulphur Springs 3
Friday’s Scores
Forney 6, Whitehouse 1
Lindale 9, Whitehouse 2
Waxahachie 10, Sulphur Springs 4
Forney 5, Nacogdoches 1
Sulphur Springs 9, Nacogdoches 0
Waxahachie 7, Hallsville 3
Hallsville 8, Robert E. Lee 2
Saturday’s Scores
Forney 5, Robert E. Lee 0
Lindale 6, Waxahachie 4
Hallsville 8, Lindale 3
Hallsville 10, Nacogdoches 1
Sulphur Springs 0, Whitehouse 0 (both teams forfeit for fighting)
Whitehouse 4, Robert E. Lee 1
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Whitehouse 4, Robert E. Lee 1
Whitehouse 200 000 2 -- 4 6 4
Robert E. Lee 000 001 0 -- 1 7 0
Patrick Miner and Connor Clark; Bradley Rippy, Will Cook (7) and Kade Keener. W -- Miner. L -- Rippy.
RECORDS -- Whitehouse 1-4; Robert E. Lee 1-4
Lindale 6, Waxahachie 4
Waxahachie 100 012 - 4 7 0
Lindale 202 11x - 6 8 0
W -- Nick Norton. L -- Cory Woodhouse. 2B -- WAX: Joey Trevino, Will Morgan; LIN: Jamey Richey.
RECORDS - Waxahachie 4-1; Lindale 4-0
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Hallsville 8, Lindale 3
Hallsville 024 110 - 8 7 0
Lindale 200 010 - 3 7 4
W -- Cooper Rawls. L -- Theron Brown. 2B -- HAL: Ty Meissner, Matt Wyman; LIN: Connor Heller. 3B -- HAL: Carson Chapman; LIN: Jamey Richey.
RECORDS - Hallsville 3-1; Lindale 4-1