Stellar pitching and magnificent defensive plays aren’t always the norm at the small school level.

Someone forgot to tell that to the Bangs and Stamford baseball teams.

Stamford’s Christian Duran and Bangs’ Kenny Cole went toe-to-toe on Friday afternoon at Hudson Wade Memorial Field on the campus of Abilene Christian Schools as the Bulldogs eked out a 4-2 win in the opening game of their best-of-three Region I-2A quarterfinal series.