The Gore Pirates baseball team saw its 2024 season come to a close in last week’s Class A District Tournament at Porter Consolidated High School.
The Pirates defeated Cave Springs 12-0 last Wednesday before losing 10-1 to Porter Consolidated. After forcing the second district title game on Thursday with a 13-4 victory, Porter Consolidated beat Gore 10-8 in the winner-takeall game.
The week started by seeing the Pirates blank the Okay Mustangs 8-0 on April 15.
In the Class A District Tournament, Gore (1314) made it to the championship round of the district tournament, and even forced the if-game, but in the end lost its battle of the Pirates with district-host Porter Consolidated after beginning the district tournament with a rout of the Hornets.
In the first district title game against Porter Consolidated, Gore never trailed, leading 3-0 after an inning. After Porter Consolidated cut the deficit to 3-2 in the second inning, Gore scored seven runs in the second inning and once in the third inning for an 11-2 lead.
For the game, Hunter McGee was 3-for-4 with three runs scored and a run batted in, Layne Ward was 3-for-4 with a double, two RBIs and a run scored, Tate Brooksher was 2-for-5 with a home run, three runs scored and two RBIs, James Brasuel was 2-for-4 with a double, two RBIs and two runs scored and Kyler McGee was 2-for-4 with two RBIs for Gore.
Hunter McGee (4-1) got the complete-game victory, fanning 13 batters.
In the winner-take-all district title game, Porter Consolidated used a three-run seventh inning to rally from an 8-7 deficit for the comefrom- behind win, and end Gore’s season.
In defeat, Brooksher was 3-for-4 with a double and three runs scored, Brasuel was 2-for-5 with a double, two RBIs and a run scored and Hunter McGee was 2-for-4 with two doubles, two RBIs and a run scored for Gore.
Dayton Smith (4-4) was the hard-luck loser, giving up three runs in the seventh inning, although getting a strikeout. Brasuel went the first six innings with six Ks.
In Gore’s win over Cave Springs, the combination of Smith and Brasuel threw a no-hitter against the Hornets. Smith got the win, going the first two innings with five strikeouts, while Brasuel went the final two innings with six Ks.
A five-run first inning was all the Pirates needed.
For the game, Brasuel was 2-for-3 with two doubles, two runs scored and an RBI, while Ward doubled for the Pirates.
In the first loss to Porter Consolidated, Porter Consolidated starting pitcher Tyler Durrett struck out 12 Gore batters and threw a fivehitter.
Porter Consolidated scored once in the first inning and four runs in the third inning for a 5-0 lead. Gore scored its lone run in the fifth inning on Smith’s RBI single, scoring Keiden Denton.
In defeat, Keeton Rowe tripled, Smith hit an RBI single, Denton singled and scored and Hunter McGee and Ward each singled for Gore.
Brooksher (3-4) took the loss, going 6.2 innings with nine strikeouts but gave up nine runs, with two of them unearned due to three Gore errors. Brasuel got the final out.
In the regular-season finale win over Okay, the Pirates got a three-hitter from the combination of Hunter McGee and Brooksher. McGee got the win, going the first three innings with five strikeouts. Brooksher got the final two outs, both by strikeouts.
For the game, Brooksher singled with two runs scored and a run batted in, Ayden Cox singled with an RBI and Rowe singled and scored once for Gore.
