With a pair of victories over Pauls Valley, a 10-5 decision over Bridge Creek and splitting a double header at Cache Monday, Purcell’s baseball record this spring is 17-11.

Coach Cole Sharp’s Dragons edged Pauls Valley in the April 14th contest on the road, 3-2 in eight innings.

The game ended up being a pitcher’s dual with Purcell being limited to four hits, two of which went to junior Casey Billingsley, including a double. The other two hits were by sophomores Cash Cook and winning pitcher sophomore Brody Walkup.

Parker Page started the game but came out after on inning due to an injury.

Walkup tossed seven innings of two-hit baseball while striking out four and only giving up a single run.

Cole praised the pitching of Walkup and the hitting of Billingsley.

“I thought Brody threw a heck of a game.  He attacked the strike zone early and often and challenged the hitters all game,” Sharp said.

“Casey has been hitting the ball really well and we will need that from him the rest of the season, the coach confirmed.

The Dragons trailed 1-0 at the end of the first inning but tied it up in their half of the second. Pauls Valley broke the 1-1 tie with a run in the third.

In comeback fashion, the Dragons pushed across the tying run in the top of the sixth and won it in the eighth inning with the final run of the game.

“I was proud of the way we battled and came back and won this game.  This game could have gone either way but we found a way and got it done,” Sharp said.

Purcell turned around to host the Panthers for the second consecutive district contest and it was like night and day with their bats.

As cold as they were in the Monday game, April 15th Purcell pounded out 12 hits led by Billingsley who went 2-2, scored twice and plated a pair of RBIs.

Boston Knowles was credited with the pitching victory holding Pauls Valley to two hits and no runs while striking out three in four innings of work. Kash Knowles slammed the door on the visitors giving up a single run in the Panther half of the fifth frame.

“Boston did a good job throwing strikes, making them hit and letting our defense back him up. Kash Knowles came in and closed it out,” the coach said.

Purcell jumped out to a 7-0 lead after the first inning before blowing the game wide open with four additional runs in the second. The final Dragon run was a single in the bottom of the third. From there it was cruise control.

“We hit really well as a team.  Almost everyone in the lineup got a hit,” Sharp said.

“Our guys came out and took control of the game early and never looked back. I have been very pleased with our defense as a whole and we will need that from here on out,” Sharp confirmed.

Last Thursday Purcell warmed up the bus and traveled to Bridge Creek to post a 10-5 victory.

Purcell’s bats continued to be productive with Deaken Dobbins jumping on a pitch for a three-run home run the top of the sixth.

The Dragons sizzled at the plate with 10 hits led again by Billingsley, who with a double, went 3-4 with a pair of RBIs.

Cook was 2-3 while Kash Knowles, Dobbins, Boston Knowles, Walkup and Bryson Perkins had hits in the victory.

Kash Knowles got the start and win,” Sharp reported.  Preston Kane to the save.

“Both of them pitched well and threw strikes and did what they had to do to help the team,” the coach said.

The Dragons played a double header at Cache on Monday, dropping the opener 6-3. But the Dragons bounced back to dominate the Bulldogs in the nightcap, 12-1.

The  Dragons host Washington Thursday and host Tecumseh Friday for Senior night.