BY CLIFF SMELLEY
Lake Butler Middle School’s baseball team defeated visiting Palatka 6-2 on Feb. 26 to improve to 4-0.
The Tigers got an RBI double from Kiptyn Shuler and an RBI single from Ridge Robinson as part of a three-run second inning.
Weston Thompson, who went 3 for 3, drove in two runs on a single in the fourth.
Starting pitcher Tristan George gave up no runs, no hits and no walks through three innings. He had four strikeouts.
Shuler, Owen Parrish and Fisher Thomassen combined to give up two hits in the final two innings.
The Tigers opened the season with a 6-2 win at Bradford on Feb. 13. George, Parrish, Shuler, Thomassen and Aden Renard all pitched, combining to give up no hits.
Renard also drove in two runs, while Westyn Miller had one RBI.
Lake Butler used a four-run second inning to help give them a 9-5 win at Fort White on Feb. 19.
The big inning featured an RBI single by George and an RBI on a sacrifice fly by Thompson. Parrish also scored on a passed ball, while Robinson scored on a steal of home.
Thompson led the team in RBI with two, while George, Parrish and Thomassen each had one.
Pitchers Parrish, Robinson, Braxton Griffis, Eastyn Miller and Spencer Legg combined to give up three hits.
The Tigers played their first home gam eon Feb. 20, scoring all of their runs in the first three innings in defeating Suwannee 4-3.
Lake Butler scored three runs in the first with two outs. Shuler and Thomassen each had an RBI single, while another run scored on an error.
Shuler’s sacrifice fly in the third scored what would prove to be the game-winning run.
Starting pitcher Miller gave up two runs on three hits through 3.1 innings. Thomassen gave up one run on one hit in the final 3.2 innings. Miller and Thomassen had five and four strikeouts, respectively.
The Tigers host Keystone Heights on Thursday, Feb. 29, and Fort White on Friday, March 1. Both games start at 6 p.m.
Lake Butler travels to play Suwannee on Monday, March 4, at 4 p.m.
