GARLAND — Brook Hill spent three innings rallying back from a 5-0 deficit to tie the game, only for Dallas Christian to score the game-winning run in the bottom of the seventh of a 6-5 loss Tuesday.

Brook Hill (7-2) dropped to third place in TAPPS District 2-4A with the loss, but the Guard have a game in hand compared to Dallas Christian and Tyler All Saints, who are tied for first place at 8-2.

Mason Smith started the game and went 3 and 2/3 innings, allowing five runs — none of them earned — off four hits with three walks and six strikeouts. Josh Jenkins takes the loss after he entered in the fourth and held DC scoreless until the seventh, but surrendered the game-winning run, which was also unearned.

Brook Hill trailed 5-0 after three innings before the Guard offense began to chip away at their deficit. In the top of the fourth, Mason Smith led off with a double past third base to get things going. Smith raced to third on a wild pitch before Seth Brasher walked to put runners at the corners. Josh Jenkins followed with an RBI double to left field that scored Smith to make it 5-1.

The Guard still had Brasher in scoring position at third, but couldn’t get him home.

In the fifth, Brook Hill sliced its deficit to a single run. Parker Clark reached on an error to lead off and went to second on a wild pitch before advancing to third out on a fielder’s choice ground out by Miguel Vega. Clark After Smith worked a 2-0 count, the next pitch got by the catcher to enable Parker to score and make it 5-2.

Smith walked on the next pitch with Brasher also drawing a one-out walk to put runners at first and second. Jenkins hit into a fielder’s choice groundout with Brasher being put out at second. With two outs and runners at the corners, another wild pitch plated another run for Brook Hill with Smith coming home and Jenkins moving to second. Tyler Overbeek plated Jenkins with an RBI double to make the score 5-4 entering the bottom of the fifth.

The comeback was complete in the sixth. Fletcher was hit by a pitch to lead off and scored on a one-out triple by Parker Clark. The Guard had a chance to then take the lead with one out and a runner at third, but couldn’t drive Clark in.

That proved costly as DC denied Brook Hill with the game-winning run in the bottom of the seventh.

Guard Stats

Guard       000    131    0   —  5   8   2

DC           005    000    1   —  6   7   1

Runs (5): McCray Fletcher 1, Parker Clark 1, Mason Smith 2, Josh Jenkins 1.

Hits (8): McCray Fletcher 1, Parker Clark 2, Mason Smith 1, Josh Jenkins 1, Tyler Overbeek 1, Reid Hill 2.

Runs Batted In (3): Parker Clark 1, Josh Jenkins 1, Tyler Overbeek 1.

Doubles (5): Mason Smith 1, Parker Clark 1, Josh Jenkins 1, Tyler Overbeek 1, Reid Hill 1.

Triples (1): Parker Clark 1.