Drillers take doubleheader over Jaxx, Dodgers

Temperatures were around 100 degrees Fahrenheit on Thursday, but the American Legion Post 179 Drillers survived over five hours in the heat to win a double header over the Post 1 Dodgers and the Post 1 Jaxx-Orange at McMurry Park in Sulphur.

In the first game of the afternoon, the Sulphur American Legion Post 179 Drillers (7-2) only trailed once against the Post 1 State Farm Dodgers in a rematch of a Tuesday match up that the Drillers lost 7-6. This time around the Drillers cruised with a 13-5 victory over the Dodgers on Thursday afternoon at McMurry in game one of a doubleheader.

This time around, the Drillers’ bats were never held silent while the Sulphur defense reduced the errors from their previous game.

Sulphur scored two runs in the first two innings, both unearned, before the Post 1 Dodgers took a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the second.

The Drillers took back the lead in the top of the third to score two runs lead by a Jacob Theriot solo home run to take a 4-3 lead.

Sulphur ran away with the game in the fourth inning scoring five runs on four hits to make the score 9-3.

The Drillers added three runs over the next three innings while the Dodgers plated a run in both the sixth and seventh innings to make the final score 13-5 Dodgers.

Tyler McDonald picked up the win for the Drillers pitching all seven innings with nine strikeouts while allowing the five runs over 12 hits. McDonald also added a 3-for-4 performance at the plate.

Sulphur was led at the plate by Charlie LeBouef who went 2-for-4 with two RBI’s.

Irvin Alexander took the loss for Post 1 pitching four and a third innings allowing nine runs on 11 hits.

Ryant Piper led the Dodgers with a 3-for-4 performance at the plate with two RBI’s.

In the second game of the evening, the Post 1 Jaxx-Orange tied the game at 3-3 in the top of the third with the help of two Drillers’ errors but Post 179 took back the lead for good with five runs in the bottom of the third.

With two outs, Paul White hit a double to left center field. White later stole third and home to make the score 4-3. It was the second time in two games that White had stolen home.

Tanner Theriot added a two-RBI double and Ben Dougherty followed with an RBI double to make it 7-3. Lance Hawkins closed out the scoring in the third with an RBI single to center field.

The Jaxx got two runs back in the top of the fourth on an error and a wild pitch but the Drillers scored three in the bottom of the inning. Dawson Tucker hit an RBI single and Dougherty hit is second RBI double of the game.

Post 179 reliever Jacob Theriot held Post 1 scoreless in the fifth inning with the help of a double play.

The Drillers were held scoreless in the fifth inning after scoring at least one run in the last 11 innings but Tyler McDonald broke Post 179 out of the slump with a solo homerun over the left field fence to start off the bottom of the sixth inning. Post 179 got another run when Tanner Theriot scored on a wild pitch.

Post 1 got two runs in the top of the seventh on an error and a wild pitch but catcher Tanner Theriot gunned down Cameron Landry at third to end the game.

Tanner Theriot also picked up the win on the mound for the Drillers allowing five runs on four hits in three innings of work.

Dougherty led Post 179 at the plate going 2-for-2 with two RBIs and a run scored. McDonald went 2-for-2 with a homerun and scored four runs.

Lenny Breda led the Jaxx at the plate going 2-for-3 with an RBI.

Post 179 will return to action with a doubleheader on Monday against the Post 1 Jaxx-Blue starting at 4 p.m. at McMurry Park in Sulphur.