The Kingston Baseball Tournament proved to be a strong early test for the Sulphur Bulldogs, who battled through a competitive field to finish third after three days of play last Thursday through Saturday.
Opening Test Against Lone Grove
Sulphur opened the tournament with a hard-fought 5-3 loss to the Lone Grove Longhorns, one of the top teams in Class 4A.
The Dog’s Brady Foster got the start on the mound, working 3.2 innings while allowing four earned runs on five hits. Jayden McClure provided a bright spot in relief, delivering 3.1 innings of shutout baseball, allowing no hits or walks while striking out four.
At the plate, Bridge Barrett led the way with a 2-for-4 performance. Drake Wood delivered a key triple that brought home Carter Cole, while Michael Morris added an RBI double.
Head coach Denton Miller noted the early mistakes proved costly.
“We walked too many people early and good teams make you pay for that,” Miller said. “Offensively we hit some balls hard that they made good plays on. The guys competed well and tried to make a push late, but couldn’t get it done.”
Dogs Bounce Back Against Kingston
Sulphur responded in Game 2 with a clean and efficient 7-2 win over Kingston Redskins.
Harrison Taylor and Aiden Graves combined for a strong outing on the mound, tallying seven strikeouts while allowing just two earned runs.
The Bulldogs’ offense was sharp from the outset. Michael Morris paced the lineup, going 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI. Sulphur erupted for five runs in the first inning and never looked back.
“We played a really clean game,” Miller said. “Defensively we threw a lot of strikes… and we didn’t have any errors.”
Sulphur’s offensive balance stood out, collecting seven singles, five doubles and a triple while striking out just once as a team.
Offensive Explosion Against Davis The Bulldogs closed the tournament in dominant fashion with a 16-8 win over the rival Davis Wolves.
Traber Sartors set the tone early, tossing three strong innings while allowing just two hits with no earned runs, no walks and four strikeouts. Colten Cole and Lucas Mitchell handled the rest on the mound as Sulphur’s offense erupted.
After a steady start, the Bulldogs broke the game open in the fourth inning with seven runs, highlighted by Sartors’ bases-clearing swing that plated four. The momentum carried into the fifth inning as Sulphur added nine more runs.
Drake Wood and Jax Jackson each blasted three-run home runs in the outburst.
“Our bats got hot in the fourth inning,” Miller said. “We executed really well… had big hits to get guys across.”
Sulphur’s third-place finish showcased both resilience and offensive firepower, as the Bulldogs rebounded from an opening loss to outscore their final two opponents 23-10.
Miller emphasized the importance of carrying that momentum forward.
“We hope to carry this momentum over to Monday and Tuesday as we have a big district series with Purcell.”
With improved pitching consistency and a lineup capable of explosive innings, the Bulldogs appear poised to make noise as district play ramps up.
Dogs Beat Purcell
On Monday, the Dogs (18-2) continued their strong play with a 6-3 home win over the Purcell Dragons (11-6) in Class 4A-3 district action.
They were set to travel to Purcell on Tuesday to complete the home and away series.
Sulphur and Tuttle (19-2) are tied for the lead in the district with spotless 9-0 records.
Sulphur’s Harrison Taylor, above, lays down a bunt along third base line to load up the bases just in time for Traber Sartors, above right, to go downtown with a grand slam home run in the Dog’s win over Davis. The action came in the third place game of the Kingston tournament last Saturday. At right, pitcher Lucas Mitchell, fires off a throw to the plate in that game. PHOTOS BY BLAKE SEAL
