BAUXITE -- One day after rallying to defeat Waldron in the first round, Fountain Lake could not overcome a five-run deficit against the tournament host.
A 5-2 loss to Bauxite in the Class 4A-7 tournament here Thursday ended the Cobras' season with a 5-11 record.
"We got off to a slow start today and it cost us," Fountain Lake coach Josh Wesson said. "Our approaches at the plate today were not very good and we just came up a little short."
The Miners jumped on the scoreboard early with Cooper Wright's two-run double in the first inning. After Justin Garrett's two-run single in the second inning, an error by the Cobras allowed another run to score in the third inning, giving Bauxite a 5-0 lead.
Bauxite starting pitcher Hunter Gautreaux was perfect through three innings before Fountain Lake plated two runs in the fourth inning. Tyler Patton reached on an error and later scored on a single by Montana Carden. Leo Martinez added another run with a sacrifice fly.
Gautreaux righted the ship after that, allowing just two hits over the final three innings. He pitched a complete game, allowing two runs on three hits with nine strikeouts and one walk.
Carden suffered the loss in a six-inning complete game for the Cobras with five runs allowed on six hits, striking out four. Carden struggled with command for much of the game as he surrendered four walks and hit three batters.
"This was his first high school postseason start so I think jitters definitely played a factor," said Wesson. "He struggled with his off-speed pitch today and fastball command wasn't his best."
Jacob Stroud had two singles and one stolen base for Bauxite while Gautreaux reached base three times, including a single in the first inning. Patton, Carden and Hunter Bryant each recorded singles for the Cobras and Kyle Fortner had a stolen base in the fourth inning as a pinch runner.
Despite the disapointing loss, Wesson was excited after the game as he talked about the future of his young team.
"We had a lot of young guys on the field this year so this gives us something to build on," he said. "It still hurts but this was a great year for our program and we're only going to get better in the future."
Fountain Lake 000 200 0 -- 2 3 3
Bauxite 221 000 -- 5 6 2
Gautreaux and Levart. Carden and Beckwith. W-Gautreaux. L-Carden. 2B-Bauxite, Wright. S-Bauxite, Levart. SF-Fountain Lake, Martinez. SB-Bauxite, Baxley, Stroud. Fountain Lake, Fortner.
Sports on 04/29/2016