Mercy Is Asked After 3 Innings of High School Grand Larceny

Larry Prince, the coach of Teneha High, called for mercy after three innings Tuesday night. His catcher probably had had enough.

Chireno High set a national record with 80 stolen bases in a 34-4 victory over Teneha, shattering the previous mark of 43 set 16 years ago by La Puente Baptist Temple Academy.

“He gave his heart back there,” Prince said of his catcher, freshman John Kennedy. “After a while, his knees were hurting [from bouncing up to throw]. It was two pitches and they were on third base.”

Chireno scored 21 runs in the first inning, batting around three times. The Owls scored once in the second, 12 times in the third.

Chireno players collected 24 walks and 15 hits. Each player had at least two stolen bases. Julian Rangel had 10, one short of the national high school record.

Cole Parmer had nine steals, and Nick Copeland, Seth Johnson and Johnny Fields had eight steals each.

“There’s a 10-run rule after five innings,” Chireno Coach Joe Tarrant told the Nacogdoches Daily Sentinel. “But the coach can call for mercy.

“Our kids were having a lot of fun out there. But I really felt bad for their players.”