Eagles hit 3-game winning streak
Rusk beats Huntington, Center and Crockett
BY JEREME HUBBARD

PHOTO: LYNN LITTLEJOHN Eagle shortstop John David Beard fields a grounder during Rusk's 9-7 win over the Crockett Bulldogs Friday. Rusk is tied for fourth in District 20 3A with a 5-6 record.

The Rusk Eagle baseball team took the field Saturday, April 5 with only one thing on their minds. And even though for some it was prom day, they appeared to be focused on the job at hand and not their plans for the night.

Rusk dominated the Huntington Red Devils, defeating them 10-0 in six innings. Senior starting pitcher Chance Davis got the win on the mound for the Eagles. Davis struck out six Huntington hitters and only walked one.

The Eagles put on an offensive clinic with nine different players collecting hits in the contest. Adam Hicks led the attack with two hits and three RBIs. J.D. Beard also got in the action with an RBI single. Cody Conner had two hits and three RBIs as well. Also collecting hits for the Eagles were Trent Vaught, Chance Davis, Damien Hicks, Stephen Halbert, Macon Lindsey and Colton Campbell.

Tuesday the Eagles traveled to Center to take on the Roughriders. Rusk got their second consecutive win, collecting 15 hits in a 14-2 victory. Colton Campbell and Adam Hicks led the charge with three hits each. Campbell had a double and Hicks added his own double as well as a triple. J.D. Beard and Chance Davis both added two hits in the game, including a triple by Beard. Other Eagles collecting hits were Trent Vaught, Damien Hicks, Stephen Halbert and Macon Lindsey. Rusk needed a solid pitching performance, and they got it from Stephen Halbert, who picked up the win by pitching a complete game. Halbert struck out four Roughriders, but was effective forcing Center to hit ground balls.

"Halbert did a real good job of getting them to put the ball on the ground. We got quite a few outs because of that and Beard made quite a few defensive plays," Coach George Banda said.

Friday night Rusk hosted the Crockett Bulldogs, who were one game ahead of the Eagles in the standings. Rusk had a solid performance offensively and came out victorious, 9-7. Rusk now is tied for fourth place in district play with a 5-6 record and still has hopes of a playoff berth. The Eagles will be at home on Friday against the Central Bulldogs before traveling to Hudson on Tuesday, April 22 to end the regular season.