It was a rough start for new coach Matt Brady and the Muldrow Bulldogs baseball team as they lost both games last week to District 4A-8 rival Hilldale to get the 2026 season underway.

The Hornets stung the Bulldogs 3-0 on March 2 in Muskogee, then got an 11-0, five-inning, run-rule victory in the ’Dogs’ home opener on March 3.

In the March 2 game, the Hornets (3-0 overall, 2-0 in district play) got a complete seven-inning game from starting pitcher Kyler Richardson (1-0), who struck nine batters and threw a no-hitter.

The Hornets scored twice in the fourth inning and once in the fifth inning.

Jace Prewett (0-1) took the loss, despite striking out four batters in four innings. Hunter Horton went the next two innings.

In the March 3, game, Hilldale pitcher Lance Harris pitched a shutout as the Hornets got an 11-0, five-inning, runrule victory over the Bulldogs.

Harris (1-0) struck out seven batters and threw a five-inning three-hitter.

The Hornets scored five runs in the first inning, a run in the third inning, twice in the fourth inning and three runs in the fifth inning to put the game into run-rule status.

If there was a silver lining in the clouds for the Bulldogs (0-2, 0-2), it was they did something they could not do on Monday — get hits.

The ’Dogs got a three hits, a first-inning single by Wyatt Prewett, but he was caught stealing for the third out of the inning.

In the second inning, the Bulldogs got back-to-back, one-out singles by Jace Prewett and Jack Rhodes, but Harris struck out the next two batters to end the threat.

The Bulldogs had one more chance to get on the board in the fifth inning to try to keep the game going. A two-base error by Hilldale left fielder Parker Hughes allowed Rhodes to lead off at second base. After the seventh strikeout by Harris, he walked Briston Weaver and Chris Ware to load the bases with one out.

Gabe Miller hit what looked to be a sacrifice fly to center field, but Richardson threw a one-hopper to catcher Nevin Cannon to tag out Rhodes trying to score from third base for the third out, and end the game by run rule.

Hayden McKinster (0-1) suffered the loss, going 4.1 innings with three strikeouts. Rhodes went the rest of the way.

Another thing that hurt the Bulldogs on the night was they committed five errors that allowed eight of Hilldale’s runs to be unearned.