Hoover vacuuming up ball-carriers

Even playing with a bulky cast, Blaine Hoover made an impression in his Tarleton State University football debut. The left defensive end out of Bedias had five tackles in the opener, a win over Mississippi Valley State. Hoover said a dozen programs showed interest in him after his past two years playing for University of the Incarnate Word. He had visitations to out-of-state schools scheduled in December. By January, he said, he committed to Tarleton State.

“I decided I wanted to stay a little closer to home,” he said. “I felt more at home (here).”

The 6-foot-6 Hoover said he focused on strength and conditioning from the spring to summer, gaining 12 pounds to his playing weight of 270.

The weight gain was necessary because “I’d be taking on more double teams,” he said. “It was being stronger at the point of attack.” He started the opener and played with a cast extending from his left hand to nearly the elbow. He said he sprained one of the ligaments in the wrist during preseason.

The cast didn’t bother him when he made his lone solo tackle on the opponent’s first series of the game. He slipped between two offensive lineman to drop the ball carrier for a 4-yard loss.

In the fourth quarter Hoover broke up a short pass attempt. “It was me being at the line of scrimmage, reading an RPO (run pass option) and breaking it up,” he said.

Baseball

Kiwoom Heroes righthander Tyler Eppler won his Sept. 11 start. The Navasota High School graduate allowed seven hits in seven scoreless innings and struck out six. The 29-year-old improved his record to 6-8 in 28 games and had a 4.49 earned run average.

Former Rattler Dalton Acosta is pitching for the Texas Thunder in the Houston Baseball Association fall season. The right-hander had two saves and a 0.00 ERA in four appearances.

Send updates about area athletes to Barbara Boxleitner at jdanddoc@gmail.com.