Burkburnett edges Graham for second place in district

WICHITA FALLS— The Graham High School Baseball Team’s climb to the state tournament became much tougher following last Friday’s Region 1 District 4 tournament loss to Burkburnett. The Graham Steers fell 4-2 to the Burkburnett Bulldogs, who followed up the win with a 13-3 loss to Iowa Park, which dropped the Steers to third place in the district standings and pits them against Brownwood in Friday’s playoff opener. “Friday did not go to well for us, but it was a good game because it was more like a playoff game and that will help us get ready for Friday and Saturday,” Graham senior outfielder Ian Villa said. “The intensity is so much higher because a lot of us are seniors and none of us want to go home early. We all want to play as long as we can.” After more than tripling the run production of their last three opponents, the Steers could not maintain their momentum against Burkburnett. Graham jumped out to an early lead after senior Kade Darrow plated fellow senior Chance Hornsey in the second inning, but went scoreless until the seventh inning. The Bulldogs deadlocked the game in the fourth, then took the lead following a three-run fifth inning. Villa’s two-out single in the seventh drove in senior Kody Perry to pull Graham within two, but a strikeout on the next at bat would seal the victory for Burkburnett. Although sustaining a loss late in the season, Villa said it will not effect the Steers for long. For the rest of this story, subscribe to our print or online edition.