Goats split games By Byron "Putt" Riddle - Though they had a one win-one loss week, the Groesbeck Goats stayed in first place in 18-3A district play with a 6-4 win at Mexia Tuesday. The come from behind victory allowed the Goats to finish the first half of district play undefeated at 4-0 and 10-10 for the season. In the second round opener on Friday, they lost to Fairfield 10-1. Cody Wilson recorded 12 strikeouts against the Blackcats to get the win. He issued four walks and five hits to a Mexia team that never gave up. Both he and Mexia pitcher Keith Vest threw complete games in the seven inning outing. Vest struck out four, walked two, and surrendered eight hits to the visiting Goats. Groesbeck scored three runs in the first inning. Zach Haynie singled and ultimately scored. Pat Kilman was walked and scored. Wilson's single got them both in for the first two runs. Corey Cortines' single to left-center field drove home Wilson. There was no more scoring until the bottom of the fourth inning. Groesbeck coach Kyle Kilman was restricted by the umpires to coaching only from the dugout after he vigorously protested the out call at first base on Ryan Fewell's ground ball back to Vest in the first inning. Mexia tied the game in the fourth. Joe Kyle York scored the first run after initially getting on base on a fielder's choice. Wes Story who had double scored next. Two Goat errors in the inning by Kilman and Fewell played a role in the Mexia scoring. Ed Adams who walked also scored. York put Mexia ahead 4-3 in the fifth inning with a solo home run over the left field fence. It was do or die time for the Goats in the top of the seventh. And they did. Cade Wilson was hit by Keith Vest, then stole second. Kilman singled to center field to get Wilson home for the tying run. Zach Young mishandled Leighton Rush's hit to him at shortstop. He stole second. Kilman was put out in a rundown between third and home by catcher Matt Rusnak. Rush got to third during the play. Cody Wilson singled. Ryan Fewell singled to left field and Rush scored. Chris Favors came to bat after Cortines was intentionally walked to fill the bases. Since Cortines was one for two and Favors zero for two hitting to that point in the game, it seemed like a good strategy. But Favors crossed the Blackcats up and punched a single to right field that scored Cody Wilson. That concluded the scoring. Wilson got Nils Haterius to be forced out at second and struck out Vest and Rusnak to end the game. Then the Goats suffered their first loss in the District 18-3A baseball wars as the Fairfield Eagles overwhelmed Coach Kyle Kilman's squad 10-1 at the Groesbeck field Friday night. The Goats are 4-1 in district and 10-11 for the year after the loss. On Tuesday, April 19, they hosted the Madisonville Mustangs. Next week, they end the district schedule with a trip to Marlin Tuesday and a home game Friday against Mexia. Eagle pitcher Eric Lassiter limited Groesbeck to just three singles throughout the game. Charlie Curry was safe on an error by the shortstop Jose Gallegos. Pat Kilman singled into center field later in the inning to get Curry in for the only Goat run in the game. Designated hitter Corey Cortines singled to left field in the fourth. Cade Wilson singled past the pitcher in the fifth inning. In the sixth inning, Lassiter's pitch caught Cortines in the mouth and momentarily knocked him out. He came to and walked to first base where Michael Gilliam came in to run for him. It will be another week to 10 days before it's known if he suffered any permanent damage to his teeth. Meantime, he was expected to resume playing this past Tuesday against Madisonville. The only other Goats getting on base were Zach Haynie hit by a pitch in the third inning, Kilman walked in the fifth and Cody Wilson walked in the sixth inning. Ryan Fewell was the losing pitcher giving up six hits, five walks, striking out five in four and a third innings. Cade Wilson pitched the rest of the way allowing three hits, hitting two batters, and striking out one Eagle in the losing cause. He and Curry collaborated to make a spectacular play at home plate. Gallegos was trying to score from second when the throw home went to the backstop. Curry raced back and flipped the ball to Wilson who rushed in to cover. Gallegos was out at home on the play. GMS Tennis Dominates Mexia The GMS tennis team defeated Mexia 28-2, sweeping all the girls matches and winning 11 of 12 boys singles and 5 of 6 boys doubles. Girls singles winners included: Toni Madison, Kylie Glass, Cassie Kennedy, Molly Young, Leanne Mills, Lacey Anderson, Kayla Vogel and Theresa Hunter. Girls doubles winners were Madison/Glass, Mills/Anderson, Kennedy/Young and Vogel/Hunter. For the boys, singles winners were Jordan Hamilton, Jantzen Slaughter, Matthew Madison, Russell Bond, Benton Roe, Patrick Nicks, Evan Clark, Richard Guzman, John Carter, Sam Parker and Eli Basden. Goat Tennis Prepares For Regionals The Goat tennis team played regional qualifier matches last week against 4-A, Private 2-A schools as they prepare for the regional tournament. Clayton Rettig, Kristin Jones, Andrea Edgerley, Blair Wilson, Tiffany Hill, Cody Sturdivant, Jordan Boecker, Kaleb Allison, Cody Havner, April Beaver and Keirsten Hamilton will represent GHS next Monday in Bryan. Cody Sturdivant/Jordan Boecker and Cody Havner/Kaleb Allison will try to reach the state tournament in boys doubles. Clayton Rettig will make a return trip to regionals in singles this time. Andrea Edgerley/Kristin Jones and April Beaver/Keirsten Hamilton will lead the charge in girls doubles. Blair Wilson seeks the state tournament in singles and Tiffany Hill is the alternate. Edgerley and Jones represent the 22nd consecutive district girl's doubles champions for Groesbeck High since 1984. Chloe King and Phyllis Smith had each played tennis less than two years when they won district and third place in regionals to start this string of championships. Andrea will make her third trip to regionals and is a two-time district champion. There are many families with two players reaching the regional tournament. Richondra, Staci and Ricky Williams, Heather, Holly and Heidi Henderson and Lauren, Courtney and Megan Longbotham represent three player regional qualifier families. GMS Tennis Excels At Bryan Tournament The GMS tennis team won five of eight events to outshine 5A middle schools from Bryan and College Station in the annual Matthew Knoppel Memorial Tennis Tournament. The eighth grade team had a banner day winning three of the four events. Cassie Kennedy won the eighth grade girls singles. Jordan Hamilton teamed up with Bryan Sellers to win the eighth grade boys doubles and Evan Clark/Justin Canfield won consolation in the same event. The eighth grade girls doubled their pleasure by taking the top two spots. Kayla Vogel and Theresa Hunter won first over teammates Leanne Mills/Lacey Anderson who finished second. Jantzen Slaughter had a terrific tournament, reaching the finals, before falling to a very talented College Station player. The seventh grade had a championship in girls singles as Kylie Glass won a long, tough final in a decisive tie-breaker. John Carter and Casey Iselt won first in boys doubles while teammates Stephen Yates/Chase Sturdivant captured the consolation championship. Other consolation winners were Katy Harris and Shelby Rasco in girls seventh grade doubles and Sam Parker in seventh grade boys singles. The GMS tennis team will conclude their season by hosting a tournament on Saturday, April 30th. Groesbeck Middle School Powder Puff Football Game Who: 6th, 7th, & 8th grade girls What: Flag Football When: Thursday, May 5th, 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Where: Groesbeck High School Football Field Admission: $2.00 A powder puff flag football game for girls only will be held Thursday, May 5th, at the Groesbeck High School Stadium. Each grade will have two teams that will play against each other. There will be three games with the first starting at 6:00. Special cheerleaders and the crowning of Ms. Powder Puff will be a treat for everyone to see. Please come and join in on the fun. This event is sponsored by the Groesbeck Middle School Gifted and Talented Department. Softball League Season To Begin The Groesbeck Softball League season will begin in the second week of May. Teams of girls are practicing to prepare. Work is ongoing to get the equipment and field ready for games. The Brazos Valley League is offering an umpire's clinic on Wednesday, May 4 at 6:30 p.m. in Hubbard. The League needs umpires, so we encourage interested persons to contact Chris Pankonien at 729-7924. All interested persons and businesses who wish to give a donation to the league for field improvement, equipment and game costs can contact Linda Anders at 353-2268. Coaches, parents and girls are enjoying their time at the ballpark. Look for our girls! This is an on-line publication of Groesbeck Journal P.O. Box 440 Groesbeck, TX 76642-0440 254-729-5103 For comments or questions, email Publisher: Thomas Hawkins thawkins@groesbeckjournal.com The Web Site contains material which is protected by international copyright and trademark laws. No material may be copied, reproduced, republished, broadcast or distributed in any way or decompiled, except that you may download one copy of the Materials on any single computer for your personal, non-commercial home use only, provided you keep intact all copyright and other proprietary notices. On-line publication, Copyright 2000, Groesbeck Journal. 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