Mickey Smith
ETX BELL
HUNTSVILLE – Oh those pesky Bullard Panthers……you never know which pitcher, or batter is gonna beat you. Rest assured, when it counts, Bullard’s new head coach has got it under control.
The Bullard Panthers diamond dwellers had several heroes this past weekend, ending Huffman-Hargraves’ season in two straight wins at Huntsville ISD field.
The sweep gave Bullard the Class 4A-D1 Area championship with great pitching, some awesome hitting in game two, and some game-changing adjustments from first-year head coach Chad Sherman.
Bullard (27-7), will now play China Springs (31-4), in a three-game series that should be another big challenge for the Panthers.
Bullard has made it to the third round four previous times in the past ten years (2024, ’23, ’22, and 2015).
The first game magic of senior team captain, Dylan Fowler led to a 3-1 win. Game two was highlighted by one -hit pitching from Ethan Foster for most of the game, coupled with 11 Bullard hits for a total team effort, to chalk up the 8-1 finale victory.
China Spring advanced with an Area round sweep over Bellville, 2-0, and 10-0. The Cougars, alike the Panthers were undefeated district champs with all loses at the hands of larger classification stalwarts, Lake Belton (4-6), Cedar Hill (1-2), Whitehouse twice 2-11 and 3-13.
Head Coach, Chad Sherman was proud of his squads play and showed no fear in the next step with highly-touted Cougars.
“Our guys came out ready to play against a really good Huffman team. We pitched it well, played great defense, and got hits when it mattered most. Really proud of each and every single one of the players,” Sherman said about the two-game sweep over the Falcons.
“Looking ahead, we have a few days to get ready for another great opponent. We will have to be ready to play against a really good China Spring team,” the head Coach added.
The Panthers and Cougars will square-off for a possible three-game series, beginning Thursday, in Bullard with a 7 p.m. first pitch slated. Game two and game three (if necessary), in China Springs, Saturday at 2 p.m.
GAME ONE
Bullard 3, Huffman-Hargrave 1
The Panthers could only touch Falcon pitching for five hits but they took advantage of everyone, including one big Falcon’s miscue as Bullard took game one, 3-1.
The Panthers were facing the Falcons’ top pitcher, junior Brandon Wisener. The hard-throwing righty could have thrown tater tots through an onion ring, striking out 15 Panthers.
However, in both of the Panthers’ scoring frames, the bottom of the order had the Falcons’ number.
Bullard gave up a 1-0 lead in the first inning.
A one-out double by Avery Cordell, followed by an RBI-triple from John Dolan, had the Panthers behind 1-0.
Panther second sacker, Tannon Wynne, led off the top of the third stanza, ripping a single to left field. A walk to Ty Rigsby moved Wynne over to second, before a double steal put two runners in scoring position.
Next up was Captain Dylan Fowler.
Fowler hit a deep fly-ball to left, of which Tannon tagged-up on the sacrifice fly, and tied the game, 1-1.
The difference maker was the top of the fifth inning.
Center fielder Atley Jones and Tannon Wynne each singled.
With one out, the Panthers got a break as Ethan Foster’s rip to left field was misplayed to load the bases.
Next up…Captain Fowler.
The senior pounded a two-RBI single to plate Jones and Wynne for a Bullard lead that would stand throughout.
“Yea, our lineup top to bottom all year long has come up with big hits. We can rely on all 9 guys at any time ,” Coach Sherman said about the bottom of the line up coming through.
Sherman added about his senior team captain Fowler, “Dylan knows when there is a big moment and more often than not he steps up when we need him the most .”
Tannon Wynne was 2-3 with two runs scored. Jones, Rigsby, and Fowler’s game-winner accounted for all it took for the game one win.
Kage Korenek took the win on the mound, striking out four, walking three, surrendering five hits and the one earned run in 5.1 innings.
Captain Fowler came on to retire all five batters the reliever faced, striking out the side to end the game in his 1.2 innings on the bump.
GAME TWO
Bullard 8, Huffman-Hargrave 1
Junior flamethrower, Ethan Foster, threw 6 innings of one-hit pitching while his defensively sound teammates went to work at the plate.
The Falcons struck out four times, but only had five players reach base, stranding two.
H-H was again the first to score in the top of the second inning,
Falcon shortstop, Brandon Wisener, reached base on a fielder SS choice. After stealing second base, Dylan Martin hit an RBI-double for a brief 1-0 lead.
It would be the only Falcon run and the only hit until the seventh inning.
Bullard got a huge jolt from shortstop Jackson Holt, leading off the bottom of the second, hitting the second pitch for a triple. Two batters later, freshman right fielder Tate Wynne drew a walk. Atley Jones reached on an RBI fielder’s choice to score Holt, as Tannon Wynne moved up to third base.
Then it was a Wynne-Wynne situation as the younger right fielder, Tate, hit a deep fly ball for a sacrifice fly-out as Big Bubba scored for a 2-1 lead after two completed innings.
That’s all Bullard would need but the scoring was far from over.
Back-to-back singles from Holt, and Kage Korenek started a big four-run fifth inning.
Two batters later Tate got his second hit to plate Korenek. Jones drew a walk loading the bases, just before consecutive walks, to Tannon (RBI- walk), and Ty Rigsby (RBI- walk). Holt and Tate Wynne scored before Atley Jones scored on a wild pitch for a 6-2 Panther advantage.
Two more runs in the sixth inning put the game away.
Fowler leadoff being hit by pitch.
The Falcons changed pitchers only to be greeted by three straight singles from Korenek, (2-3, one run), Holt (3-4, triple, three runs), and the first of four pinch hitters, Bryce Roberts.
Roberts’ single scored Fowler (1-3, double, one run), before Gage Korenek reached base on a fielder’s choic,e loading the bases for Kris Fite.
The Bullard fans were all back on their feet and raised the roof when the senior, Fite’s fly ball to deep center field was good enough to sacrifice in Holt to finish out the scoring in the 8-1 win.
Sophomore Evan Downing came on to pitch for the final inning.
A leadoff hit was immediately erased with a Jackson Holt, to Tannon Wynne, to Fowler for a double-play for the Panthers.
Then with Panther fans still on their feet, a grounder to the elder Wynne at second base, threw to Captain Fowler sealing the win, and another Area Championship.
There were numerous key hits, highlighted once again by the bottom of the Panthers’ lineup, and three solid pitchers combined for the two hitters.
