BRECKENRIDGE – In a battle for second place in the District 8-3A baseball standings, the Breckenridge Buckaroos pulled even with the Early Longhorns by rallying twice to claim a 6-5 victory in 11 innings Tuesday.
With the loss, Early slipped to 13-7 overall and 8-3 in district play while Breckenridge improved to 8-3 in league action and 10-13-1 for the season. Both teams have three district contests remaining.
Early led 3-0 after four innings, scoring twice in the third and once in the fourth, but Breckenridge answered with two runs in the fifth inning and another in the sixth to force extra innings.
The Longhorns then forged ahead 5-3 in the top of the 11th inning, only to witness Breckenridge score three times in the bottom half of the frame to snatch the victory.
Early finished with 11 hits led by three each from Caleb McCullough and Ki Houston, and one apiece from John-Stewart Gordon, Ethan Pallette, Cooper Jacobs, Gavin Sanders and J.D. Nowell. Sanders was credited with two RBIs while Gordon and Caydon Laird also drove in runs.
On the mound, Pallette worked eight innings and allowed three runs – one earned – on three hits with five strikeouts and three walks. Sanders pitched the last 2.2 innings and yielded three runs – none earned – on three hits with a pair of strikeouts and two walks.
The Longhorns are back in action at 7 p.m. Friday as they attempt to rebound at home against Comanche.