Mineral Wells Area News

By DAVID MAY

Special to Mineral Wells Area News

Playing a pair of games this week against No. 8 Brownwood, the Mineral Wells Rams on Tuesday had a chance to hand the Lions their first district loss, dropping a tight 4-3 contest. The teams played again Thursday, with Brownwood coming out on top, 6-3.

The two wins improved Brownwood’s season record to 17-4-1 and 6-0 in District 6-4A. The Rams suffered their seventh straight loss Thursday, dropping to 5-17-1 on the hard-luck season, and 1-5 in district play.

Mineral Wells traveled to Brownwood on Tuesday, with the Rams taking a 2-0 lead in the first inning. Adrian Holifield reached on an error, making it to second. Josh Petrie followed with a single. A double steal scored Holifield and advanced Petrie to second. W. Hollifield singled to left, moving Petrie to third, who then scored on a wild pitch.

Brownwood got one of those runs back in the bottom of the first.

Mineral Wells went back on top by two in the top of the fourth. The inning began with a Ridge Newton line-drive single. He worked his way around to third and scored on a fielder’s choice off the bat of Braeden Wells for a 3-1 lead.

The Lions tied it up in their half of the fourth with two runs crossing the plate. A two-out passed ball allowed the Lions to score the tying run.

Brownwood scored the game-winning run on a one-out double that followed a leadoff walk, a sacrifice bunt and an error.

Wells started on the mound for Mineral Wells, going five innings. He allowed three runs, two earned, and 10 hits. He struck out four and walked four Lions. 

Shortstop Tyler McWhorter had two of Mineral Wells’ six hits.

On Thursday in Mineral Wells, the teams played scoreless ball for four innings before the Lions struck for three runs in the top of the fifth, with two of those runs coming on a home run by catcher Logan Posey.

Mineral Wells answered with two runs in the bottom of the fifth. A Lions error and a Petrie double had the Rams in business. A groundout scored Holifield and an Owen Gadd single sent Petrie to the dish.

Brownwood scored three more times in the sixth. The Rams answered with one run on a steal of home by McWhorter for the final 6-3 score after a scoreless seventh.

Mineral Wells is back in action Tuesday, hosting Glen Rose. The Rams’ lone district this season came against the Tigers (13-10, 1-4). First pitch at Pratt Field is set for 7 p.m.