Lions baseball opens district play at 0-2 after 13-3 road loss to Stephenville

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STEPHENVILLE – The Brownwood Lions baseball team tumbled to 0-2 in the District 6-4A standings as the Stephenville Yellow Jackets completed a league sweep Friday night with a 13-3 victory.

The Lions (5-14, 0-2), who fell at home to Stephenville (17-6, 2-0) by a 4-0 count Tuesday, trailed 6-3 heading into the bottom of the fifth inning, where the Yellow Jackets tallied seven runs to enforce the mercy rule.

Down a run after one inning, the Lions drew even at 1 in the top of the second as Daylyn Ansons singled home Garrett Wilkerson, who started the frame with a walk.

Stephenville reclaimed a 4-1 lead in the bottom of the second, and Brownwood tacked on its second run in the top of the third. Wyatt Wolf singled, Shaxton Simpson walked, and Robbie Robinson singled to load the bases with no outs, but only Wolf crossed the plate after a wild pitch.

Down 4-2 heading to the top of the fourth, Brownwood scratched across its final run before Stephenville tallied nine unanswered. Ansons and Carter Massey both singled and Wolf was later hit by a pitch to load the bases. With two outs, Robinson was also plunked, allowing Calder Damron – who earlier reached on a fielder’s choice that retired Ansons – to score.

Brownwood collected six hits – a pair by Ansons and one apiece by Wolf, Robinson, Wilkerson, and Massey.

On the mound, Simpson, Harrison Sweaney and Blayne Stegemoller teamed up to yield 11 earned runs on seven hits with five strikeouts and 11 walks, while the Brownwood defense committed one error behind the trio.

The Lions will host Abilene Cooper at 1 p.m. Saturday in non-district action, then hit the road at 7 p.m. Tuesday to begin a two-game district series against Graham (6-10-1, 0-2), with the second contest at Morris Southall Field at 7 p.m. Thursday.