The Concordia Lutheran Crusaders defeated the Pleasant Grove Hawks 7-1 in their first game at the Lufkin baseball tournament Thursday.
The game was actually played in Hudson, Tx., 8 miles outside of Lufkin.
The Crusaders scored their 7 runs on 10 hits and 1 error. PG scored their 1-run on 7 hits and committed 3 errors.
The winning pitcher for Concordia Lutheran was Alex Petrovic. Petrovic who has committed to Auburn threw the first two inning of the game allowing 1 hit, a single by PG’s Cade Martin.
Petrovic also struck out 5 and had no walks.
Freshman Hunter Rose was the starting pitcher for the Hawks and he allowed 3 runs in the first before settling down and pitching great through 5 innings allowing only 3 earned runs on 8 hits while striking out 4 and only walking one.
Rose was 2-for-3 at the plate with 2 doubles. He scored the Hawks only run.
Spencer Browning was 1-for-3 with an RBI for the Hawks. Hawks catcher Cade Martin was 2-3 and he threw out a runner trying to steal and picked one off at first with a snap throw.
Hawk second baseman Jarret Halter and shortstop JM Long were each 1-for-three.
Hawks coach Riley Fincher was happy with Hunter Rose’s performance on the mound.
Hunter threw the ball extremely well especially after the first inning,” Riley Fincher, Pleasant Grove Hawks head baseball coach said. “He (Hunter Rose) settled after the first inning and to hold a great hitting team like them to 3 runs in 5 innings was exceptional for him.”
Coach Fincher said the Hawks hit well but they just need more timely hitting.
Pleasant Grove (4-3) will play the Crandall Pirates Friday at 11 a.m. at Lufkin Panthers field. The game will be live on 94.1 FM ESPN-Texarkana.