-
Snyder junior Leeroy Tavarez allowed just one hit and recorded 11 strikeouts in the Tigers’ 4-1 win over Bushland Saturday. The Tigers will open the Best of the West Tournament against Idalou at Mofett Field at 7 p.m. Thursday.
LEVELLAND — The Snyder Tigers rode a pair of dominant pitching performances to wins over Bushland (4-1) and Littlefield (10-0) Saturday.
Against Bushland, junior Leeroy Tavarez took the mound and pitched all seven innings, striking out 11 and allowing just one hit.
Bushland’s only run came in the fourth inning on a passed ball.
The junior struck out seven batters over the final three innings. The Tigers scored all four of their runs in the fourth inning. Mason Cravens scored on a Bushland fielding error. Junior Kyler Davidson drove home junior Austin Escobedo with a sacrifice fly and junior Blaine House capped the inning with a two-run single to left. Snyder won the game, 4-1.
In the second game of the day, the Tigers put the ball in the hands of sophomore Derek Dominguez, who pitched a six-inning, no-hitter.
Dominguez struck out 12 Littlefield batters and allowed just two base-runners, both via a walk.
Meanwhile, the Snyder offense got to work.
Sophomore Bryce Ford had an RBI single in the top of the first inning. Snyder scored two more runs in the third when Dominguez laid down a bunt that allowed sophomore Cameron Smith to score.
Later that inning, senior Ryan Rodriguez hit an RBI single to center, scoring House, and Snyder held a 3-0 lead.
Snyder blew it open in the fifth inning. Dominguez, Ford and sophomore Zeke Esparza all hit RBI singles, Tavarez hit an RBI double and Smith tripled to right, allowing both Esparza and Cravens to score. When the dust settled, Snyder led 9-0.
Snyder got the run-rule victory in the sixth inning when Dominguez scored on a groundout by Escobedo, resulting in a 10-0 Snyder victory.
Snyder finished the Levelland tournament 2-2, and improved to 4-6 on the season.
Snyder will host the Best of The West Tournament Thursday through Saturday.
Snyder hitters vs. Bushland: Blaine House, 2 hits, 2 RBI; Derek Dominguez, 1 hit; Bryce Ford, 1 hit; Ryan Rodriguez, 2 hits, 1 run scored; Austin Escobedo, 1 RBI, 1 run scored; Kyler Davidson, 1 RBI; Trey DeLoera, 1 hit, 1 run scored
Snyder pitcher vs. Bushland: Leeroy Tavarez, 7 innings pitched, 1 hit, 1 run, 4 walks, 11 strikeouts
Snyder hitters vs. Littlefield: Cameron Smith, 3 hits, 1 double, 1 triple, 2 RBI, 2 runs scored; Jerek Pena, 1 walk, 1 run scored; D. Dominguez, 2 hits, 2 RBI, 2 runs scored, 2 stolen bases; B. Ford, 2 hits, 2 RBI, 1 walk; R. Rodriguez, 2 hits, 1 RBI, 1 run scored, 1 walk; A. Escobedo, 1 RBI; L. Tavarez, 2 hits, 1 double, 1 RBI, 1 run scored; Zeke Esparza, 1 hit, 1 RBI, 1 run scored; Mason Cravens, 1 run scored, 1 walk
Snyder pitcher vs. Littlefield: D. Dominguez, 6 innings pitched, 0 hits, 0 runs, 2 walks, 12 strikeouts