ROUND ROCK — A two-out, two-run single by Chris Fry in the top of the first inning proved the difference in the game Saturday as Groveton Centerville edged Gordon 2-0 for the Class 1A state championship at Dell Diamond.

The Bulldogs’ three first-inning hits accounted for more than half their total for the game, but that mini outburst against Longhorns ace Aiden Shank was all the run support necessary for Kolt Larsen, whose complete-game shutout had him holding the MVP trophy after the game.

Fry’s single, the only hit by either team in 17 at-bats with runners in scoring position, forced Gordon to play catch-up the rest of the way. And despite a strong pitching performance of their own from Shank and reliever Stryker Reed, the Longhorns could never close the gap, leaving seven runners on base in the loss.

With the victory, Centerville (24-1) claimed its first state championship in program history, while Gordon (23-5) finished as the state runner-up for the second consecutive year.