Tigers still in 24-3A playoff hunt
By MIKE KONVICKA mkonvicka@journal-spectator.com

STAFFORD - Wharton remained in the District 24-3A baseball race after beating Stafford 10-7 Saturday afternoon at Spartan Field.

The game was originally scheduled for Friday but postponed because of rain.

The Tigers evened their district record to 4-4 and hosted 7-1 Sweeny Tuesday night.

The Bulldogs fell to Sealy 4-3 last Friday and slipped to 7-1.

"The team is playing very hard and I'm proud of the way we are battling to win games," said Wharton coach Floyd Ciruti.

Needville beat Royal 22-0 in a make up game on Monday to improve to 7-1.

Wharton boys The Bluejays played 2-6 Columbia last night. Columbus beat the Roughnecks 8-7 on Saturday to improve to 5-3 and battled the 3-5 Spartans.

Sealy was 4-4 before playing the winless Falcons.

Wharton totaled a dozen hits in the Stafford game.

Chris Acuna was two for four with a pair of home runs and six RBI's.

J.D. Rivera, Taylor Ustynik and Michael Mata were all two for four with RBIs Wharton broke a scoreless tie by picking up six runs in the third.

Ben Williams singled and J.D. Rivera reached on a bunt hit. Kris Looper singled to load the bases and Acuna hit his first homer, a grand slam.

Ustynik reached on a fielder's choice and Justin Lathon took first as a courtesy

runner.

Lathon stole second and scored on

boys qualify a single by David Horta. Horta then scored on a fielding error.

The Tigers added two more in the fourth to go up 8-0. Looper walked with one out and Acuna homered.

Stafford answered with five in the bottom of the inning to make it an 8-5 game.

Wharton picked up two more runs in the fifth to go up 10-5.

Ustynik singled with one out Lathon took first as a courtesy runner. Jesmon Grant singled and Lathon came around to score on a throwing error. Williams reached on a fielder's choice ground ball as Grant scored.

Stafford scored runs in the sixth and seventh inning to cut the lead to three, 10-7.

"We had to battle to stay on top," said Ciruti.

Ustynik went the distance. He gave up seven runs on nine hits while striking out five and walking two.

24-3A Standings

Teams
Sweeny	(12-5)	7	1	.875
Needville	(15-1)	7	1 ..875
Columbus	(13-6)	5	3	.625
Wharton	(8-10)	4	4	.500
Sealy	(8-8)	4	4 .	500
Stafford	(7-13)	3	5	.375
Columbia	(4-15)	2	6	.250
Royal	(0-12)	0	8	.000

Friday's Results
Sweeny 4, Sealy 3
Saturday's Results
Wharton 10, Stafford 7
Columbus 8, Columbia 7
Monday's Results
Needville 22, Royal 0
Tuesday's Results
Sweeny at Wharton, late
Royal at Sealy, late
Stafford at Columbus, late
Columbia at Needville, late
Friday's Games
Columbus at Wharton, 8 p.m.
Royal at Sweeny, 6 p.m.
Needville at Stafford, 7:30 p.m.
Sealy at Columbia, 7:30 p.m.