Sports

Lowe Invitational this week at HHS

The Hamilton Bulldog baseball team will host their eight-team annual baseball tournament this Thursday through Saturday. Action will begin with a game between Hico and Dublin at 9 am on Thursday followed by a ballgame between Rio Vista and Santo at 11:15. Hamilton will face De Leon in the first round on Thursday beginning at 1:30 pm followed by the night cap game between China Spring and San Saba starting at 3:45 pm. Games will continue on Friday beginning at 9 am, and the first pitch of the final game on Friday will be tossed at 3:45. On Saturday, action will again begin at 9 am followed by the consolation game at 11:15. The game for third place will start at 1:30 pm, and the championship game will be played at 4 pm on Saturday. The Bulldogs picked up their first victory of the season last week during the Rio Vista Tournament, earning a 2-1 decision over Axtell. Matt Zschiesche connected for an RBI double in the first inning to put the Dogs on top. Freshman southpaw Chase Weaver commanded the mound for five innings, allowing just one hit and zero runs while striking out nine and walking zero. Axtell answered in the top of the sixth inning with one run. Denver Poe put the ball in play to drive in Hamilton’s final run for a walk-off Bulldog 2-1 victory. Hamilton recorded six hits in the win including two each by Zschiesche and Colby Bailey. The Dogs dropped a 3-0 decision to Dublin and a 6-1 ballgame to Trinity Christian during tournament play to move to 1-3 on the season. Hamilton was scheduled to play in Glen Rose on Tuesday of this week before returning home to host the Louis Lowe IV Invitational.

BIRDIE PUTT

BIRDIE PUTT- Sophomore Tyner Haile, pictured, putting for birdie in San Saba, and freshman Darby Craig represented Hamilton High School last Monday in the San Saba Invitational to tee off the 2020 golf season. Haile shot an 18-hole round of 96 to tie for second, and Craig placed eighth out of 18 medalists, recording a score of 108. The Lady Bulldogs were scheduled to tee off in Comanche Monday at Par Country Club, and the Bulldogs were set to play in Comanche Tuesday. Coached by O.J. Kemp, the Lady Dogs will compete again March 2 and the Bulldogs March 3, in Brownwood.

HIGH HEAT

HIGH HEAT- After getting off to a perfect 2-0 start with home victories over San Saba and Meridian, the Lady Bulldog softball team trekked to Rio Vista for tournament competition on Thursday and Saturday of last week. The Diamond Dogs fell to the host Rio Vista Lady Eagles in the opener, and rallied to defeat Dawson 7-2 in game two. In returning to the field for their first softball action of the year after leading the Lady Bulldog basketball team to a bi-district qualifying season, junior Morgan Mehaffey smashed a four-run grand slam and sophomore Skylar Carr went yard for a solo homerun in propelling the Lady Dogs over Dawson. On Saturday, Hamilton tied Waxahachie 5-5 in Rio Vista before falling to the eventual tournament champion Keene Lady Chargers in a competitive 3-1 contest. The Lady Bulldogs were scheduled to play in Cross Plains on Tuesday of this week and will compete in another tournament this Thursday through Saturday in Llano. Hamilton will return home to host Goldthwaite at 5:30 pm next Tuesday. Pictured, Robbey Beinemen delivers a high fastball from the mound as Isabel Flores covers the third base line in a recent 21-6 home win over Meridian. Staff photo

SAFE

SAFE- Denver Poe slides safely back to first after an attempted pick off by Millsap’s lefty on the mound. Poe eventually rounded the bases and crossed home plate for Hamilton’s only run scored versus Millsap in the Bulldog’s home opener on Monday. After digging a 3-0 deficit in the first, freshman Chase Weaver took command of the mound in the middle innings for the Bulldogs and stifled Millsap’s offense. Weaver was relieved from pitching duties in the top of the sixth, and Millsap’s bats warmed up again as the visiting Bulldogs posted three additional runs. Caleb Lengefeld hit a hard grounder to the shortstop and reached base by error to advance Poe from third as Hamilton answered with one run scored in the bottom of the sixth. Following a scoreless seventh and final inning, the Dogs fell to Millsap in their season opener, 6-1. Hamilton’s junior varsity dropped a competitive 6-3 contest to Millsap following the varsity ballgame. The Bulldogs were scheduled to compete in the Rio Vista Tournament on Thursday through Saturday and will travel to Glen Rose next Tuesday. The JV is scheduled to play at 4 pm in Glen Rose, trailed by the varsity at 6. Staff photo

Pure POWER

Hamilton High School hosted close to 300 lifters representing 22 school districts on the Larry Eilers Basketball Court last Saturday for a powerlifting meet. Competitors tested their strength in three exercises including the squat, bench press and dead lift. Results from the event will be in next week’s edition. The girls’ regional powerlifting meet will be held on March 7 at Academy High School, and the boys’ will compete at regionals in West on March 14. Pictured, under the watchful eyes of coaches Sonny De La Garza and Howard Cox and being spotted by (l-r) Cooper LeGrande, Bryson Tarpley and Keegan Votaw, HHS competitors Chasiti Ranaghan and Aiden Baker power through a squat.

Museum happenings

The Hamilton County Museum is going well. If interested in becoming a member, call Coni at 254-688-0165 or contact James Yates, Pete Jordan, Alyce Poteet or any member of the museum.

101 N. Rice
PO Box 833
Hamilton, TX 76531
254-386-3145