7-run first inning helps No. 3 Argyle roll past No. 20 Guyer in area clash

Argyle starting pitcher Alex D’Angelo locked it down on the mound to keep Guyer off the board through the first four innings. The southpaw surrendered three hits, three walks and no runs while striking out five batters.

“He just changed his speed so well,” Argyle coach Ricky Griffin said. “Against a good hitting team, he’s even better, because they’re going to see some fastballs and the change-up comes out of his hand like a fastball and makes it tough on good hitters.”

The teams squared off in a nondistrict bout after playing district contests on Tuesday and Friday, giving the game a bit of a different complexion than others. That meant the squads went deeper into their pitching rotations with other arms having already thrown earlier in the week.

It presented a challenge for both teams, one the Eagles ultimately weathered better thanks to their depth and the fact that Guyer had used four of its pitchers in its two district wins on the week.

“A team like Guyer, an awesome program, they’re going to get our attention, so I thought we came this morning ready to play,” Griffin said. “For us, we just have to take good at-bats against whoever they throw out there.”

D’Angelo’s brilliance combined with Guyer’s struggles on the mound in going to five different pitchers made a key difference in the contest.

The difference was evident in the first inning as D’Angelo surrendered a single and a walk but rallied to exit unscathed.

Argyle then batted around in the bottom half as the first three batters reached base and Colton Roquemore drove them all in with a three-run triple past a diving left fielder. D’Angelo drove in a run on a sacrifice groundout, then a double by Conor Lillis and single by Micah Roberts scored one apiece.

Grady Emerson, who drew a leadoff walk to start the inning, then hit an RBI double to score the inning’s final run and make it 7-0 entering the second.

The Eagles added one more run in the second inning as D’Angelo hit a two-out double, then Sandifer doubled him in.

Guyer had its most promising chance of the game in the top of the third inning as Caleb Cowan drew a walk, then Hunter Gural and Oklahoma pledge Brad Pruett singled to load the bases with two outs. D’Angelo rallied to strike out Texas commit Lane Allen and end the inning.

Park Prater led off what would become a five-run bottom of the fourth inning with a no-doubt home run that flew well over the right field wall.

“I knew it was gone off the bat,” Prater said. “He threw me about four curveballs in a row, so it was just about adjusting. I was early, out front, and just got that one good.”

Brodey McConnico and JC Davis drew bases loaded walks later in the frame to plate D’Angelo and Lillis after D’Angelo doubled in Roquemore, who hit his second triple in the frame. Prater wrapped up the inning’s scoring with an RBI single to make it 13-0 entering the top of the fifth inning.

Ryan McClure then drew a leadoff walk for Guyer in the top of the fifth and Pruett took a two-out pitch over the tall left field wall for a towering two-run homer. The blast produced Guyer’s only runs of the game.

The Wildcats are back in action Tuesday when they host district foe McKinney Boyd, while Argyle travels to face Colleyville Heritage as both teams look to remain unbeaten in district play.

For the Eagles, continuing the formula that’s won them nine straight games is the focus moving forward.

“The biggest thing for us is to come ready to play,” Griffin said. “If we come ready to play, then we’re a tough team to beat. We’re going to see some really tough left-handed pitchers in district, so we’ve got our work cut out for us for sure.”