Diamond Tigers end week 1-1 in region play

The Commerce baseball Tigers (3-3, 1-1) finished last week at .500 in region play, defeating Pinecrest Academy and falling to Lakeview in extra innings.

Last Friday, the Tigers hosted Pinecrest and immediately jumped out front, scoring two runs in the bottom of the first inning.

The Paladins tied it up in the top of the third, but the Tigers came out swinging in the bottom, adding five more runs to go up 7-2.

Commerce added three runs in the fifth, and four more in the sixth, forcing a 14-4 mercy rule victory.

The Tigers racked up 11 hits and eight RBIs. Daniel Streetman pitched four innings, fanning five and allowing only four earned runs.

Junior Drew Whitfield went two-for-two at the plate, leading the Tiger offense with three RBIs.

On Tuesday, March 12, the Tigers traveled to Lakeview Academy for a Region 8-A contest with the Lions.

After Chandler Rodgers drove in two runners in the fifth inning, the Tigers entered the bottom of the seventh up 2-1.

With two outs, the Tigers made an error, allowing Lakeview to tie the game and force extra innings.

Senior Robert Hayes drove in the go-ahead run in the top of the ninth, allowing Commerce to once again take the lead; however, it was short lived.

With two outs in the bottom of the ninth, the Tigers made another error and allowed the Lions to pick up two runs, sealing a 4-3 Lakeview win.

“We had our chances throughout the entire game to put them away and did not take advantage of the opportunities and let them hang around,” said Tiger coach Steve Cotrell. “When you let a team hang around and you make mistakes late it comes back to bite you. We are a very extremely young team and even though we are not going to use that as an excuse, we have got to learn the little things make a large impact at this level.”

Hayes highlighted Commerce’s pitchers, who struck out 13 batters and allowed only six hits and one earned run.

The Tigers will host region 8-A opponent Prince Avenue Christian on Friday, March 22, at 5:55 p.m.