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LINK … GAME STORY: Brock edges Clyde 3-2 to close series in two games
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LINK … GAME STORY: Jim Ned takes Bowie’s best shot, sweeps I-3A area series
After suffering a 13-1 loss in Game 2 of their Region I-2A area round series with Hamilton, the last thing the Forsan Buffaloes needed on Saturday was a rough start in Game 3.
Yet that is precisely what happened at Crutcher Scott Field, with Hamilton building a 7-0 lead through the top of the fourth and holding on for a series-clinching 9-3 win over the Buffaloes.
Chase Weaver was 2 for 4 with two RBIs and earned the win on the mound to lead Hamilton (23-9-1), which now advances to face Anson in the regional quarterfinals.
Forsan (15-13) was led by Brandon Valdez, who was 1 for 3 with an RBI triple and by Major Stockton (1 for 3, one RBI).
FORT STOCKTON — The Cooper softball team continued its historic run Saturday, following Friday’s 9-7 win over El Paso Hanks with a 15-8 victory in Game 2 to sweep the Lady Knights and earn their first trip to the fourth round of the playoffs in 25 years.
As they have all postseason, during which they’ve averaged 13 runs per game, the Lady Coogs slugged their way to the series sweep, pounding out 29 hits over the two games — including seven home runs in the clincher.
Tied with Hanks at 7-all after five innings, Cooper regained the lead in the sixth before waiting out a three-hour lightning delay to improve to 25-8 and earn a Region I-5A semifinals date with Aledo (25-6), which took down Colleyville Heritage in three game in its region quarterfinal series over the weekend.
HERMLEIGH — Facing elimination for the first time this postseason after dropping Game 1 of their Region I-5A quarterfinals series on Friday, the youthful Wylie softball team made District 4-5A rival and champion Lubbock Monterey sweat on the series’ second day.
But after downing the Lady Plainsmen 9-5 in Game 2 on Saturday to extend the series to a deciding third game, the Lady Bulldogs couldn’t solve pitcher Brenna Straughan or slow a barrage of seeing-eye hits in 9-3 loss in Game 3.
A Minely Avila home run pulled coach Heather Collier’s team within two runs (5-3) in the fourth inning of the rubber match, but Monterey responded with four runs in the fifth to regain control and eventually end the Lady Bulldogs’ season at 22-14.
Trailing 2-0 from the outset of Game 2 with Clyde, the Brock Eagles patiently waited for most of Saturday afternoon for their chance to end their series with the Bulldogs at Abilene Christian University.
That opportunity came in the final two innings in the wake of an injury to Clyde starter Evan Laughlin, who was struck in the left foot by a batted ball in the sixth inning and forced to leave the game. The Eagles subsequently rallied, taking a series-clinching 3-2 win at Crutcher Scott Field.
Peyton Shaffer was 2 for 4 with two runs scored and Ian Fuchs delivered 6.2 innings of shutout relief to lead the Eagles (23-8-1), who advance to face Wall in the Region I-3A quarterfinals at a site and time to be determined.
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LINK … GAME STORY: Anson rallies from Game 1 loss, takes pair to eliminate Hawley
GLEN ROSE — Bowie hit Jim Ned with four runs in the top of the first inning of Friday’s Region I-3A area championship series opener, a blow the Indians hadn’t faced all season long.
While shocking, the Indians rebounded nicely for a 10-5 win before finishing off the Jackrabbits with a 10-1 win on Saturday afternoon.
Jim Ned used solid pitching, outstanding defense and an opportunistic offense to sweep the series.
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LINK … GAME STORY: Chapman, Albany lineup strong as Lions sweep Ozona
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LINK … GAME STORY: Wall, Williams hang on to beat Holliday 2-1 in Game 1
HERMLEIGH — A tight strike zone and a heavy, outward-blowing wind all but ensured a high-scoring game in the opener of the Wylie softball team’s Region I-5A quarterfinals series against Lubbock Monterey on Friday. In the end, the Lady Plainsmen took better advantage of both in a 10-5 win at the Hermleigh softball field.
Monterey was outhit by Wylie 7-6 and committed five errors to the Lady Bulldogs’ three. But the Lady Plainsmen drew twice as many walks (6) and used a pair of early home runs to build a 5-1 lead that they would stretch to 9-1 before WHS tried to fight its way back into the game late.
Wylie continued to battle throughout, pulling within four (9-5) with a four-run fourth inning. But the Lady Bulldogs (21-13) saw a number of hard-hit balls find gloves from that point forward, allowing Monterey to hold on for the win and take a 1-0 series lead.
Photos by Seth LaRue, special to Big Country Preps
WEATHERFORD – In a Region I-6A quarterfinal softball game that offered practically everything a fan could ask for, the one thing lacking at the end Friday night was a happy ending to Abilene High coach Jim Reese’s storied career.
With one thunderous swing of the bat, Southlake Carroll’s Lillian Cooper saw to that. On a 3-2 pitch from AHS reliever Diana Silva, the Lady Dragon shortstop launched a three-run home run well beyond the center field wall. The blast capped a four-run eighth inning by the Lady Dragons, giving Carroll a thrilling — and controversial — 9-8 win over the scrappy Lady Eagles in a win-or-go-home game for Abilene High.
They went home, but not without a fight. After Cooper’s missile cleared the wall to make it 9-5 in the top half of the eighth inning, the Lady Eagles opened their half of the frame with four straight hits to cut the lead to the final margin. But Carroll pitcher Cameron Timmons induced four straight ground balls thereafter, three of which were converted to outs before AHS could scratch for the tying run.
As a result, Carroll, which beat the Lady Eagles 7-5 on Thursday in the first game of the best-of-three series, advances to the next round of the playoffs with a 21-13 record. Abilene High finished its season at 15-11 — and with a lot of questions that begin with the words “what if …?”
FORT STOCKTON — The Wylie baseball team is on to the Region I-5A quarterfinals after holding off El Paso Andress in a white-knuckle thriller, edging the Golden Eagles 3-2 in a one-game area-round playoff Friday at the Fort Stockton baseball field.
Leading 2-0 after four innings, The Bulldogs saw the Eagles push across a pair of runs in the fifth to tie things up. But Wylie answered with an RBI triple by Reed Hughes in the bottom half of that inning to go back ahead and kept Andress off the board in the final two frames to preserve the hard-fought win.
The victory improved coach Grant Martin’s team to 23-8 on the year and earned the Bulldogs a region quarterfinals date with the winner of District 2-5A champion Canutillo (17-5-1) and District 3-5A runner-up Canyon Randall (21-14-1), which were set to wrap up their best-of-three area-round series Saturday.
An offensive slugfest in Game 2 of the best-of-three Region I-2A quarterfinal between Anson and Hawley gave way to a pitchers duel in the finale and saw the Lady Tigers advance to the fourth round of the playoffs.
Anson forced the deciding game with a 13-8 win before claiming the series with a 6-4 decision at Abilene Christian University’s Poly Wells Field.
The Lady Tigers advance to play the winner of the Colorado City-Ralls series. The Lady Wolves won the opening game of that series 17-4.
HERMLEIGH — Jackson Chapman was sharp for five shutout innings and he got enough run support from his lineup to end his day there as the Albany baseball team run-ruled Ozona 11-0 on Friday to sweep its Region I-2A area-round series and advance to take on district rival Hawley in the third round.
The AHS starter surrendered just three hits and no walks while striking out eight to keep Ozona in check from start to finish, allowing his offense to take control with five runs over the first two innings and later put the run rule into effect with a five-run top of the fifth.
The victory followed an 8-1 win in Game 1 on Thursday, improving coach David Fairchild’s team 20-3-1 on the season.
Wall starting pitcher Austin Williams was facing his final batter, regardless of the outcome.
With his pitch count reaching 109, Williams was allowed to face Holliday cleanup hitter Dalton Anderson with two outs in the seventh inning with two outs, a 2-1 lead and a man in scoring position.
As it turned out, Wall coach Jason Schniers’ decision to leave his tired starter in was the correct one. Williams fanned Anderson to end the game and give the Hawks a 2-1 win in Game 1 of a Region I-3A area series at Hardin-Simmons University.
Photos by Brandon Bartek and Ashley Spradley
If one high school has one male that qualified for state in three different sports — all within the same academic year — most people would expect the guy to be 6 feet and 180 pounds.
Meet Goldthwaite sophomore Connor Bartek, a state qualifier in cross country last fall, plus track and golf this spring. He stands 5 feet tall and weighs just under 100 pounds. In cross country last fall, Bartek qualified for state for the second consecutive year and finished 11th individually in Class 2A.
In track, Bartek finished fourth in the 2A 3,200 meters Friday, May 7, and his time of 10 minutes, 12.77 seconds broke a 35-year-old Goldthwaite school record.
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LINK … GAME STORY: Laird, Early bounce back from slow start to rout Ballinger in Game 1
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LINK … GAME STORY: Jacksboro takes Game 1 from Coahoma with one strange play and two big innings
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LINK … GAME STORY: Forsan blanks Hamilton behind gem from Valdez
Brandon Valdez had seven strikeouts and allowed just three hits in a complete-game shutout as Forsan took the opener of a best-of-three Region I-2A area-round series 3-0 over Hamilton on Thursday night at Abilene Christian University’s Crutcher Scott Field.
Valdez, who threw a no-hitter to clinch the District 6-2A championship, worked fast and consistently ahead of hitters as the Buffaloes took advantage of limited baserunners behind him.
It was an effort that Forsan coach Stephen East knew he could expect from his staff ace.
Through four innings, Coahoma and Jacksboro were knotted at 2-2 with no hint of the avalanche that was about to strike at Cooper Softball Field.
One bizarre play, however, is all it took to turn a would-be three-run inning for Jacksboro inning into a five-run explosion. The Tigerettes followed that up with a four-run sixth to win going away, 11-2.
Harlee Richardson was 2 for 4 with a double and three RBIs and Jaci Gann was two for three with two RBIs to lead Jacksboro (30-6), which can clinch the series with a win in Game 2, slated for 5 p.m., Friday at Cooper. Game 3, if needed, will follow 30 minutes after Game 2.
A rocky first inning proved merely a mild inconvenience for the Early baseball team Thursday at Abilene Christian University’s Crutcher Scott Field, where the Longhorns rallied from a 3-1 first-inning deficit to run-rule Ballinger 14-3 in Game 1 of a best-of-three Region I-3A area-round series.
Sophomore starter Caydon Laird bounced back from allowing three runs in top of the first to shut out the Bearcats the rest of the way, and the EHS lineup gave him six runs in the second and five in the third to make a winner out of the right-hander.
Up 12-3 after three innings, the Longhorns tacked on two more runs in the fourth to put the run rule into effect and put themselves in position to close out the series when it resumes with Game 2 at 1 p.m. Friday at the same site.
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LINK … GAME STORY: Guiterrez, Stamford bats dominant in I-2A quarterfinals sweep of Cisco
The loud popping sound of the catcher’s mitt alone is enough to tell the uninitiated that Stamford pitcher Citlaly Gutierrez is a cut above the norm.
After that, a quick peek at her bio tells you what you may have already suspected.
At the age of 16, Gutierrez is now throwing in the 65-mph range (Division I college velocity). She’s already struck out 750 batters in her career (despite last year’s COVID lockdown) and she’s already committed to the University of Texas as a junior.
Stamford ace Citlaly Gutierrez did Citlaly Gutierrez things and her lineup had a pair of huge games at the plate Wednesday to fuel the Lady Bulldogs to a Region I-2A quarterfinal sweep of Cisco and into the fourth round of the Class 2A playoffs.
Gutierrez allowed one unearned and struck out 27 over 11 combined innings, while the SHS offense pounded out 26 hits — including eight for extra bases — to run-rule the Lady Loboes twice, 12-0 and 13-1, at Abilene Christian University’s Poly Wells Field.
The series victory, which improved the Lady Bulldogs to 26-5 on the season, earns Stamford a Region I-3A semifinals date with the winner of Forsan (17-3-1) and Floydada (25-0-1), putting coach Cynthia Herrera’s team just two rounds away from the first softball state tournament appearance in program history.
THIS WEEK: Stamford softball coach Cynthia Herrera visits with Evan Ren and Dan Youngblood about the Lady Bulldogs’ 2021 season.
To call the 2021 Wylie baseball team a senior-led squad would be a fairly significant understatement.
Featuring a 10-player senior class that will send eight to the college ranks next year, the 18th-ranked Bulldogs are blessed with a combination of talent, experience and chemistry that few teams statewide can boast.
But heading into a one-game area-round playoff against El Paso Andress at 4 p.m. Friday in Fort Stockton, coach Grant Martin’s seniors will see all of their history and hopes boiled down to a single game. Win, and they’ll get to add yet another chapter to a story already filled with unique experiences. Lose, and they’ll close the book on their time as teammates.
That reality isn’t lost on this talented group of Bulldogs, who aren’t remotely ready for this ride to be over yet.
Our final Capital Farm Credit/Big Country Preps Player of the Week for the 2020-21 school year could go to any number of area athletes in the wake of the state track and field meet held over the weekend in Austin.
We finally settled on Stephenville’s Victoria Cameron, who stunned those in attendance at Mike A. Myers Stadium with an incredible 11.48-second finish in the girls 4A 100 meters — obliterating her personal best by nearly four tenths of a second to take gold.
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LINK … GAME STORY: Elston’s gem, hot bats fuel Stephenville to bi-district sweep
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LINK … GAME STORY: Hawley softball cools Miles’ win streak and hot bats
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LINK … GAME STORY: Jacksboro edges Merkel again, takes hard-fought area-round series 2-0
With a a combined six boys and girls relay teams heading to Austin, backed by a loud contingent of fans, Cross Plains entered the 2021 UIL State Track and Field Meet feeling as though it had a shot to win two team state championships. Or at the very least, team bronze or silver.
It just didn’t happen.
Finishing in fifth place in both the girls and boys 1,600-meter relays, the exhausted Buffaloes were edged off the team medal stand with two fourth-place finishes. They were, nonetheless, the top boys and girls team performers among all Big Country Class 1A participants on Saturday, earning a combined total of four relay medals (two each).
GRAHAM — Stephenville baseball coach Justin Swenson was hoping to get his bullpen some work during his team’s Region I-4A bi-district series against Vernon. The Yellow Jackets wouldn’t let him.
After watching Bryson Dill deliver a complete-game gem in an 8-2 win in the series opener on Friday, junior left-hander Reece Elston followed suit in Game 2 on Saturday, pitching a five-inning two-hitter in a 12-2 run-rule victory at the Graham baseball field.
Taking a perfect game into the fourth inning, Elston ran into a little hiccup in that frame, losing his shutout on a walk and a pair of extra-base hits. But his lineup countered with eight runs in the bottom of the inning to stake him to a 10-run lead, and he put up his fourth zero in the fifth inning to end the game there by run rule.
GRAHAM — After falling 2-1 to Jacksboro in 15 innings in the opener of their Region I-3A area-round series on Friday, the Merkel Lady Badgers found themselves in another tight contest with the Tigerettes on Saturday.
But as was the case in that marathon Game 1, Jacksboro proved to be just a little bit better, using a three-run fifth inning to eliminate MHS with a 3-0 win at the Graham softball field.
Merkel threatened to rally late, putting runners in scoring position in each of the final three innings, but as was the case the day before, the Lady Badgers just couldn’t solve JHS pitcher Alex Holman.
Photos by Seth LaRue
BROWNWOOD — Saturday’s Class 2A softball area playoff game between Hawley and Miles seemed more like two games. There was the first inning, which Hawley fell behind 3-0. Then there was the rest of the game, which the Lady Cats dominated with a dozen unanswered runs.
The Hawley Lady Cats completed a best-of-three series sweep of the Miles Lady Bulldogs with Saturday’s 12-3 decision as freshman pitcher ShayLynn Bailey settled down after a rough first inning and finished with a complete-game four-hitter.
Hawley (12-4) advanced to play the Anson-McCamey winner in next week’s regional quarterfinals. If it’s Anson, Hawley squeezed out a pair of one-run wins during their District 7-2A games earlier this season.
ODESSA — The Cooper softball team cruised to a Region I-5A area-round sweep over El Paso Chapin on Saturday at the Ratliff Softball Complex, following Friday’s 15-5 victory in the series opener with a 9-2 win in Game 2.
Leading 3-2 after an inning, the Lady Cougars scored the final six runs to advance to the Region I-5A quarterfinals next week.
CHS had six home runs among its 13 hits, providing ample support for pitcher Summer Simmons, who relieved starter Jahlissah Marquez in the first inning and went the distance for the win.
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LINK … GAME STORY: Anson shows no rust, hammers Winters in bi-district opener
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LINK … GAME STORY: Swearingin, Bowie shut down Bangs in series opener
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Continue reading “LIVE: State Track and Field Meet medalists and Big Country Placings (DAY 3)”
How many of you once dreamed of hitting a game-winning homerun or shooting the game-winning shot to win a championship?
Hamlin senior Jenna Vancleave experienced the track and field equivalent of the same dream on Friday in Austin, only she had an even greater sense of urgency.
Not only did Vancleave win the girls 2A discus state title on the final throw of the competition at the state meet, but she did it on what she knew would be the final throw of her career. Her performance shares the spotlight with Wylie’s Kylor Aguilar, who took gold in the boys 5A pole vault.
“I just came in hoping for the best,” Vancleave said. “It was all in God’s hands.
“I was very nervous. My stomach hurt so bad, but my coaches talked to me and calmed me down. They were like, ‘You’ve just got to throw. Let it loose and relax.’ So I took that advice and and apparently it worked.”
LAMESA — The Wylie baseball team made quick work of Plainview in its best-of-three Region I-5A bi-district series on Friday, sweeping their first-round foe 9-1 and 5-1 behind a pair of strong starts.
Dash Albus held the PHS to one unearned run over 6.1 innings in Game 1, allowing just four hits and two walks, while Brooks Gay tossed a complete game in Game 2, limiting the Bulldogs to one run on five hits and one walk. The co-aces combined for nine strikeouts.
With the victories, Wylie (22-8) will now advance to the area round of the Class 5A playoffs, where it will take on the winner of El Paso Andress (22-5) and El Paso Del Valle (14-8), which split the first two games of their bi-district series.
IOWA PARK— Makayla Calvio admitted she felt a little nervous in the seventh inning of Coahoma’s series opener against Wichita Falls City View.
But the freshman pitcher also trusted the Bulldogettes’ defense in case a play needed to be made.
That’s exactly what happened as center fielder Shae Lang snagged a hard-hit line drive and doubled off a Lady Mustang at second base, sealing Coahoma’s 3-1 victory.
Anson baseball coach Scotty Nichols was worried that his team would show some rust from having not played for two weeks prior to Friday night’s Region I-2A bi-district opener against Winters.
Those fears were eased right off the bat.
The Tigers sent 10 batters to the plate in the top of the first, scoring five times en route to a 16-0 win over the Blizzards at Abilene High’s Blackburn Field.
Bowie starter Kawlyer Swearingin was too much for the Bangs Dragons on Friday, tossing a complete-game shutout at McMurry University’s Walt Driggers Field to fuel the Jackrabbits to a 9-0 win in the first game of a best-of-three Region I-3A bi-district series.
The lefty pitched around four hits and three walks with the aid of 10 strikeouts, allowing his team to break a close game open with a pair of big innings.
The first of those came in the bottom of the fourth, when Bowie took advantage of a balk and two errors to plate three runs, and the second came two innings later, when the Jackrabbits pushed four runs across to all but seal the victory.
The outcome leaves Bangs (14-12-1) in need of two wins Saturday to extend its season to the area round next week.
ANDREWS — It wasn’t quite the no-hitter she pitched in the opener of Wylie’s Region I-5A bi-district series against Amarillo High last week, but Reese Farrar was on her game again Friday in pitching the Lady Bulldogs to an 11-0 win over El Paso El Dorado in the first game of a best-of-three area-round series.
The sophomore right-hander allowed two hits and two walks over five shutout innings, striking out five opposing batters in the process, and her lineup staked her to a six-run lead by the bottom of the second inning, giving her far more run support than she would need to secure the victory.
Fueled by a five-run second and a four-run fourth, the Lady Bulldogs were able to close the game out in five innings, putting themselves in position to sweep the series when it resumes at 10 a.m. Saturday with Game 2. Should a third game be necessary, it will be played 30 minutes after Game 2 in Andrews.
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Continue reading “LIVE: State Track and Field Meet medalists and Big Country Placings (DAY 2)”
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LINK … GAME STORY: Fast start propels Eula to 7-5 win over Cross Plains in series opener