KF89

I agree 100%. Liberalism & Inflation aint no joke on the bank account.$$$

Cards Season Ends on Third Day of Tournament James Dixon, Assistant AD/Media Relations The best season for Lamar University baseball since 2013 came to an end Friday afternoon with a 9-4 setback to Abilene Christian at Hohokam Stadium in Mesa, Ariz. The loss puts an end to a year that saw LU post a 37-21 record, and just miss a WAC Divisional title by one game with a 20-10 conference record. Big Red jumped out to a 3-0 lead, but ACU answered with nine-straight runs before the Cardinals could get back on the board. The Cardinals made the most of their four hits scoring four runs with two errors, while ACU plated nine runs on 10 hits with an error. Matthew McDonald, Josh Blankenship, Kirkland Banks and Reese Durand each recorded a hit on the day, with Blankenship and Durand each driving in two. Senior Joe Buckendorff got the start and went 3.1 innings for the Cardinals allowing three earned runs on three hits with four strikes. When Buckendorff exited the game in the fourth inning he left with a one run lead but a four-run fourth and seventh from the Wildcats was too much for the Red and White to overcome. The Cardinals wasted little time Friday getting the scoring started. With two outs and runners at the corner, Blankenship took an 0-2 pitch deep to right center getting it just beyond the outstretched arm of the right fielder. The hit scored both runners as Blankenship went racing into the third with his second triple of the season. Classmate Reese Durand made it a 3-0 lead for the Cardinals in the second inning when he led off the inning with a no doubter to right field for his third blast of the season. ACU managed to get one back in their half of the second inning but the result could've been worse. The Wildcats had the bases loaded with no outs but Buckendorff worked his way out of traffic with two strikeouts. Unfortunately, the Wildcats' lone run of the inning came off one of the strikeouts as the pitch got away from the catcher. The score remained 3-1 until the bottom of the fourth when the Wildcats struck for four runs on three hits and took advantage of an LU error to claim their first lead of the game, 5-3. ACU made it a six-run lead with four more runs in their half of the seventh. The Cardinals managed to get one-run back on a sacrifice fly to score Deric LaMontagne who led off the ninth by reaching on an error and advancing to third on two wild pitches.

ACU advances to Friday night with win over Lamar Trailing 3-0 after an inning and a half, the ACU baseball team did not panic. Instead, they answered to take the lead in the fourth inning, and never looked back. The No. 4 Wildcats (28-28) advance to Friday night after a 9-4 victory over No. 2 seed Lamar at Hohokam Stadium, and will now play top-seeded Grand Canyon for the second time in the tournament. ACU got a great starting outing from Adam Stephenson, and the offense matched it with a 10-hit game. Carter Sells finished it off and it is off to the nightcap at the WAC Tournament.How It Happened- For the first time in the tournament, ACU was not the first team to put runs on the board. Lamar scored two in the top of the first inning with a triple to right center field, and the Wildcats were down early. No need to worry, though.- The Cardinals hit a solo home run to open the second inning, but after that, Stephenson settled in, retiring the next five batters and not allowing another run in his five innings.- ACU, down 3-0, went to work. After loading the bases and striking out, Hunter Gieser stepped in, and despite the big first baseman also swinging and missing, the ball got away on a wild pitch, allowing Tommy Cruz to score the first run of the game for the 'Cats.- ACU, the home team on the scoreboard for the first time in the tournament, took a lead they would not give up in the fourth inning. Bryson Hill doubled down the right field line to score Miller Ladusau, and two batters later, Gieser had the swing of the day, driving a ball to the gap in right center field, scoring two, and ending up with a triple. It gave ACU a 4-3 lead.- The inning wasn't over. Bash Randle drove in Gieser with a sacrifice fly, and the 'Cats led 5-3 after four.- Neither team scored again until the seventh, when ACU extended its lead. Colton Eager launched his first career post-season home run with a solo shot to left center in the home seventh, and it followed with Bryson Hill reaching on a sacrifice bunt that turned into a throwing error, allowing Cruz to score. Tanner Tweedt then capped off the inning with a double down the right-field line to score two more, and it was a 9-3 lead.- Lamar added one more in the top of the ninth with a sacrifice fly, but that was it, and ACU held on for the 9-4 victory.Stat Pack- Stephenson got the win, going five innings of strong baseball, allowing three earned runs on five hits with three strikeouts.- Carter Sells was tremendous out of the bullpen, throwing a four-inning save, allowing one run, unearned, on just one hit with four strikeouts. The save is Sells' second of the season.- Of ACU's 10 hits, it was Ladusau who led the way with three. The Wildcat left fielder also scored twice.- Cruz and Tweedt each tallied two hits, and Tweedt drove in a pair.- Gieser drove in two with his double, and scored a run as well.Beyond the Box Score- Cruz has now reached base nine times in the last two days of the tournament.- Friday marked the seventh meeting this season against Lamar. The Wildcats took two-out-of-three against the Cardinals in Beaumont in early April, but it was Lamar who swept ACU in May at Crutcher Scott Field. The season series is now 4-3 in favor of Lamar, but the 'Cats got the biggest win in the series.- ACU is now 2-0 in post-season games against Lamar. The Wildcats won 7-1 in the opening game of the 2021 Southland Tournament.- The save for Sells is just the sixth save of the year for ACU.- Sells' season ERA is down to 1.87, the lowest on the Wildcat staff.- Friday marked the 33rd time this season ACU tallied at least 10 hits in a game.On Deck- The Wildcats have now worked their way back on the consolation side of the bracket, and will get their rematch with top-seeded Grand Canyon. It is the consolation semifinal game, and it is slated to begin at 9 p.m. CT / 7 p.m. PT, and airs on ESPN+.

Errors & walks are the 2 main ingredients for losing baseball games. SS has had a rough year fielding for Lamar.

GCU Rallies for a Walk Off Win Over Cardinals James Dixon, Assistant AD/Media Relations Senior Adam Wheaton took a shutout into the sixth inning and Lamar University pushed the 2022 WAC regular season champions to the brink before Grand Canyon rallied for a 4-3 walk off win Thursday evening at Hohokam Stadium in Mesa, Ariz. Wheaton put together one of his strongest performances of the season allowing just one earned run on five hits in 7.1 innings pitched. He also finished the game with three strikeouts. Senior Jack Dallas pitched the final 1.1 allowing one run on three hits but suffered his first loss of the season (4-1). GCU's Nick Hull was also strong going 7.0 innings allowing two runs – one earned – on five hits with six strikeouts, with a walk. The starting duo didn't allow a run to cross the plate until the bottom of the sixth inning. LU (37-20) finished the night with three runs on five hits but was hurt defensively by four errors. The 'Lopes scored four runs on eight hits with two costly errors. Five different Cardinals recorded a hit Thursday with Harper recording the lone RBI for LUThe 'Lopes broke through first with an unearned run in their half of the sixth inning. A ball hit down the first baseline off the bat of Juan Colato turned into two bases following an error. After moving over to third Colato scored the game's first run on a single from Tayler Aguilar. GCU tacked on a second unearned run in the inning to take a 2-0 leading into the seventh. The bottom half of the sixth woke up the offense for LU as the Cardinals responded with two runs in the top half of the next inning. With runners at first and second and two outs, the Cardinals got a single up the middle from Kemp scoring Blankenship. A wild pitch allowed runners to get to second and third, and Ethan Ruiz was then able to reach on an error which allowed Banks to score. The Cardinals grabbed their first lead of the game on a passed ball in the next inning, which allowed Bermudez – who led off the inning by reaching on an error where he advanced to second. Unfortunately, the 'Lopes managed to tie the game back up in their half of the eighth with a run on three hits with the score coming with two outs in the inning. The game was still tied heading into the bottom of the ninth and LU starting the inning by getting first batter out. With two outs and runners still at first and second, Colato delivered the game-winning hit scoring Jonny Weaver. The Cardinals return to Hohokam Stadium Friday to face No. 4 (Southwest Division) seed Abilene Christian at noon (2 p.m. Central time). Big Red won the season series over Abilene, 4-2.

#17 Lions claim opener with Devils, 2-0 By; John Krueger- sportsdaily sentinal Mistakes in the postseason are sometimes magnified, and they were Thursday night at Panther Field, as the 17th-ranked Franklin Lions took advantage of a Central Heights error in each of the first two innings to score unearned runs in each frame, and went on to secure a 2-0 win in Game 1 of the best-of-three Class 3A Region III Semifinal series. The 15th-ranked Blue Devils (29-7) will fight to stay alive on Saturday afternoon when the series with the Lions (29-4-1) shifts to Madisonville High School. Game 2 is scheduled for a 12-noon first pitch. If the Devils win that contest, a winner-take-all third game will begin 30 minutes later.

Kennedy’s five RBIs lift Lake Creek to Game 1 win over Milby Jim McCurdy, Correspondent James Kennedy made good on the mantra of this Lake Creek baseball team. “Just be the hammer,” Kennedy said. Kennedy drove in five runs as Lake Creek beat Houston Milby, 6-3, Thursday in Game 1 of the best-of-three Region III-5A semifinal series at Langham Creek High School. “I feel going up to the plate I was just trying to stay calm, do my best, try to just see the situation, know what I have to do,” Kennedy said after going 2-for-3. “I feel this team has the same mindset. Everyone wants to win. My support from my teammates really helped me.” The Lions will go for the series sweep at 7 p.m. Friday in Game 2. “We’re in the fourth round of the playoffs,” Lake Creek coach Jeremy Schramm said. “That team over there knows how to win. We know tomorrow that they’re going to throw everything at us. We prepare for their best. We’re going to have to play better tomorrow.” Lake Creek (27-5) took a 1-0 lead in the third when Kennedy pulled back on a bunt, and sent a ball through a hole on the right side to score Jaron Lyness. With two outs, Blake Brown laced a single into center to score Kennedy, extending the lead to two runs. In the fourth, Kennedy had a sacrifice fly to bring home Luke Ekdall, who singled to open the inning. That put the Lions up, 3-0. Milby pitcher Fabian Ramirez worked out of a tight spot, getting a fly ball to right center, and doubling up a runner trying to score on a relay throw to the plate to end the inning. “James Kennedy stepped up, and was big for us tonight,” Schramm said. “James had an outstanding night for us tonight at the plate. He’s very competitive at the plate. He executed in big situations for us tonight.” Kennedy ripped a three-run triple to right-center in the sixth to push the Lions’ lead to 6-0. The Buffaloes scored three runs in the bottom half of the inning on two errors and a wild pitch to cut the lead in half. “The triple I hit, I was sitting fastball, and he threw me a hanging curve ball,” Kennedy said. “I just tried to stay confident in the box. Bases loaded, coming up to the plate, I felt like I was ready. I was just trying to stay calm, just do my job up there at the plate.” Lake Creek starter Shane Sdao, a Texas A&M commit, went six innings, allowing one hit, three runs, one earned, and three walks, while striking out six in the win. “I tried to stay fluent and fast all game because I knew I would catch ’em off guard,” Sdao said. “They were trying to slow me down, but that obviously didn’t work. I was just pounding the strike zone, jamming ’em up, trying to make them get themselves out, rather than strike everyone out. “(Milby) is definitely a good team. They have good heart, they want to win the game. They want to try to advance to the next round, and they want to win state.” Milby (30-9) had a runner on third with two outs in the second, but Sdao got a groundout to second to end the inning. Following an error in the fourth, Sdao retired the next five hitters in order, racking up three strikeouts during that stretch. “Shane has the ability to control the game,” Schramm said. “We did make some mistakes behind him, but it’s a team effort. We pick each other up.” Lions closer Bryce Pacovsky worked the last inning, allowing a hit and no runs, and fanned one to pick up the save. “I felt good about Pacovsky,” Schramm said. “He came in and threw strikes, and just got the game over for us.” Now the Lions look ahead, knowing one more victory will send them on to the region finals for the first time in school history. Lake Creek was bumped by Barbers Hill in the region semifinals a year ago. “Mindset stays the same,” Sdao said. “Whether we won or lost the day before, the next day is what’s in front of us. We’ve got to win the next game. We can’t win the game before. We’re always focused on what’s ahead, rather than what’s behind us. “I love this ball club. We get along so well. We just have so much chemistry. We always joke with each other. It’s just great.” Jim McCurdy is a freelance sports reporter.

Katy suffers setback against Strake Jesuit By Tyler Tyre, Sports Editor Katy suffered a setback in the first game of their regional semifinal matchup with Strake Jesuit. The Tigers fell 2-1 in the matchup, leading to them needing to take both game two and three if they are to move on to the regional finals. Lucas Moore was on the mound for the Tigers and did everything in his power to keep Katy in it, going six innings and allowing two runs on four hits while striking out six and walking three. Garrett Stratton earned the win for Strake Jesuit by pitching a complete game and allowing just one run on two hits while striking out five and walking two. It was a pitchers duel the whole night, but Katy struck first in the top of the first inning, with Ryan George leading off with a single and Parker Kidwell following that up with a single of his own. Jhonnatan Ferrebus then drove in a run on a sacrifice grounder, but a pop up and a ground out ended the inning. Moore held Strake Jesuit at bay until the sixth inning, when the Crusaders finally found a way to get on the board. The inning started with a fly out, but a single and a hit by pitch got two runners on base. Kade Baron then hit a double that drove in both runners before Katy was able to end the inning. Katy got a runner on with a walk in the top of the seventh, but a strikeout and ground out ended the game and gave Katy the loss. Game two will be played Friday at 7 p.m. at Mayde Creek with game three being played at 1 p.m. Saturday if needed.

High School Baseball Playoffs: Bulldogs bring it all together in 6-2 win over Bellville By Ryan Silapan [email protected] It was one of those games where it all came together for the Carthage Bulldogs baseball team. Or as Coach Jason Causey said, the team played like their philosophy. “Our philosophy is pitching and defense, and if you can do those two things you’re going to have a chance to win any game you play,” he said. “That’s us, and if we continue to do that we’ll be pretty good.” The Bulldogs were exceptional. Todd Register went 3-for-4 at the plate with a double an RBI and two runs scored and Noah Paddie went 2-5 with two RBIs as Carthage defeated Bellville 6-2 in the first game of the best of three 4A regional semifinal series on Thursday night at Lamar University. Senior Javarian Roquemore got the win on the hill throwing five and 2/3 innings, allowing only two hits, two earned runs, walking five and striking out five. Sophomore reliever Matthew Smith pitched the final two and 1/3 innings to pick up the save. Smith allowed two hits, no runs, no walks and struck out two. “My fastball and off speed (pitch) at times until it got out of hand at the end,” Roquemore said of what was working on the hill. “But I went right back to my fastball and let them guys play defense, and they held onto it for me.” Carthage (24-9-2) played a stellar defense turning multiple double plays and didn’t commit a single error in the game. Factor in scoring the first five runs of the game, and positive results seemed destined for the Bulldogs. “Everybody was hitting tonight,” Register said. “One through nine, drag bunts, singles, doubles. Everybody was seeing it good and barreling it up.” No. 9 hitter Ty Chambers went 2-4, Braden Smith had two RBI singles, while Roquemore and younger brother Jakerrian Roquemore both singled and scored in the game. Roquemore gave up a single to Carson Paschel to start the third inning but got the next three Bellville hitters in order. “It takes everybody, and we got hits 1-9 nine tonight,” Paddie said. “If you give a dude like (Roquemore) on the mound five runs to play with, he’s going to be really tough to hit. He could come right at batters and he knows he can give up one or two runs and be OK.” The Bulldogs scored three runs in the top of the fourth inning, when Register and Smith both delivered RBI hits. Connor Cuff and Javarian Roquemore reached on a walk and hit by pitch, and both ended up scoring. Bellville (26-6-1) got both their runs in the bottom of the sixth on a Blake Linseisen two RBI single. Smith came in the game after Roquemore allowed the single and ended the inning with a strikeout of Paschel. Causey was proud to see his team get double digit hits in a game, especially in the fourth round of the postseason. “Offensively we had 10 hits off of a pretty good arm,” he said. “We did enough things offensively to take advantage and get some runs on the board. Played good defense behind both guys — turned a couple of doubles. It was a good win.” Seeing Register come alive at the plate meant a lot; he had been in a slump — more so everything he hit was ended up right at somebody. “Todd has been squaring a lot of balls up since district, and he’s had a lot of tough luck,” Causey said. “He just hadn’t had the results and it’s been frustrating, but we’ve been talking to him about staying with his approach, and eventually some of those were able to fall and they were fortunate enough to fall today.” Carthage took care of business on Thursday night, and now they will look to close out the series on Saturday against Bellville. Both teams will return to Lamar University on Saturday at 5 p.m. for Game 2 of the series. If necessary, a Game 3 will take place 30 minutes after the conclusion of Game 2. Causey will give Braeden Wade the ball as the Bulldogs look to sweep the Brahamas. “We have to be ready to go, that’s a good ball club,” Causey said of Bellville. “We have to come out throwing strikes, and that start’s with B. Wade. If he comes out and gives us a chance and plays good defense, we’ll have a chance to win. That’s a good team over there, so we have to come out ready to play.”

Friendswood sweeps Brenham, moves on to regional championship Ted Dunnam, Staff writer Dylan Maxcey and Reed South delivered run-scoring singles in the second inning for the only offense Friendswood needed in downing Brenham, 2-0, Thursday night to sweep the teams’ best-of-three Class 5A regional semifinal baseball series at Cy Falls. The Mustangs (27-7) will next take on Lake Creek or Houston Milby for the Region 3-5A championship. Friendswood won the opener, 8-4, Wednesday night at Cy Falls. Brenham ended its season with a 25-13 record. Easton Tumis pitched 5 2/3 innings of one-hit ball, walking just two while striking out six. Dane Perry came on to record a strikeout while Griffin Kasemeyer pitched one inning, allowed one hit and fanned two. Friendswood collected six hits, all singles. The win was the eighth straight in the playoffs for Friendswood and ninth overall. Head coach Cory Benavides’s team has swept Nederland, Houston Waltrip, Crosby and Brenham in its first four series. The Mustangs have advanced to the regional finals for the second straight year. Last season, Friendswood lost to eventual state champion Barbers Hill in the 3-5A championship series.

Late-innings surge proves crucial in China Spring/Orangefield regional semifinal-By Van Wade SPRING – The China Spring Cougars continue to be “kryptonite” for Orange County teams after ending what was a superb Orangefield baseball campaign by downing the Bobcats 7-3 to win Game Two of their best-of-three Class 4A Region III Regional Semifinal Thursday evening at Grand Oaks High School. The Cougars won Game One on Wednesday, 5-4. The Cougars (30-8) scored five unanswered runs in the sixth and seventh innings to turn back the Bobcats. It was another great season for Orangefield and head coach Tim Erickson as they rolled to a 28-4-1 overall record, claimed the District 22-4A Championship and advanced to the fourth round of the postseason. China Spring defeated Bridge City in three games in this same round in 2017. The Cougar football team defeated West Orange-Stark in the 4A Region III Division II Finals the last two seasons and won State last football season. The Cougars finished with nine hits while the Bobcats had six. Marcus Rosales got the win on the mound for the Cougars, tossing five innings in relief of starter Cage McCloud. Rosales allowed just two hits while striking out three and walking one. McCloud went two innings, allowing four hits. Jason Bodin started for the Bobcats. He worked five innings, allowing five hits while striking out six and walking four. Trent Eaves tossed the last two frames, allowing four hits while striking out one and walking one. The Bobcats scratched in a run in the bottom of the second. Bodin led off with a ground rule double off the wall in right field. Morgan Sampson flied out to right, moving Bodin over to third. Bodin scored after a Brennon Lecoq sacrifice fly to centerfield. The Cougars answered in the top of the third to grab a one-run lead. Brayden Faulkner drew a one-out walk and McCloud drilled a two-run home run over the rightfield wall. Orangefield regained the lead in the bottom of the fourth. Kolbie Sowell had a leadoff double to right and courtesy runner Kane Smith advanced to third on a Bodin groundout. Sampson then tied the game up, plating Smith with a RBI double. Lecoq moved courtesy runner Brayden Babin to third on a ground out. Babin raced in to score on a wild pitch to give the Bobcats a 3-2 edge. China Spring regained the advantage with three runs in the top of the sixth. JC Hughes opened it up with a leadoff double past first base. Kolby Killough reached on an error and Hughes got to third. Hughes scored to tie it after an errant pickoff attempt. Trevor Black put the Cougars ahead when he brought in Killough with a RBI double. Dean Hannah moved Black to third with a sacrifice bunt. Jase Garrett reached on a fielder’s choice on a bunt as Black was thrown out at home. Faulkner made it 5-3 when he slapped a RBI double to right to score Garrett. The Cougars added some insurance runs in the top of the seventh. Trace Necessary had a leadoff triple and scored on a RBI double by Bryce Tabor to make it 6-3. After Black drew a two-out walk, Hannah drove home Tabor with a RBI single. The Cougars now move on to face either Carthage or Bellville in the Regional Finals next week.

Game 1-DIboll- 7 Cameron Yoe- 5 Final

Game 1- Lake Creek- 6 Milby- 3 Final

Game 2- Friendswood- 2 Brenham- 0 Final

Ridge Point- 6 Pearland- 2 Final

Game 1- Strake- 2 Katy- 1 Final

Great accomplishment & career winning the most games in Texas high school football history. No one said anything trumps it. What is being said is a state title some where in the middle of all those wins probably gets him paid more money.

Need to get some live action going until august.....

If he could have won a state title probably gets him alot more

Aledo & Ft. Bend Marshall getting under paid for their success

Texas High School Football Coaching Salaries From 2019 Class 6A Division I-Average Salary: $121,875.25 Hank Carter, Austin Lake Travis: $158,512 Gary Joseph, Katy: $138,588 Reginald Samples, Duncanville: $130,969 Terry Gambill, Allen: $126,365 Jonathan Kay, Galena North Shore: $120,133 Edward Pustejovsky, Cy-Fair: $119,036 Jeff Hulme, Waco Midway: $111,415 Sean McAuliffe, Converse Judson: $111,288 Riley Dodge, Southlake Carroll: $97,284 Class 6A Division II- Average Salary: $112,967.75 Todd Dodge, Austin Westlake: $150,000 Randy Allen, Highland Park: $133,875 John King, Longview: $133,675 Gregory McCaig, Cypress Creek: $119,860 Kenneth Plunk, Amarillo Tascosa: $114,672 Matt Meekins, Spring Westfield: $104,030 David Branscom, San Antonio Brandeis: $97,783 Jason Tucker, Haltom: $97,722 Eric Peevey, Beaumont West Brook: $86,000 Class 5A, Division I- Average Salary: $106,938.88 Randy Allen, Highland Park: $133,875 Ricklan Holmes, Tyler: $109,585 Charles Bruce, San Antonio Wagner: $109,534 Dave Henigan, Denton Ryan: $108,751 Shaun McDowell, Richmond Foster: $104,203 Bradley Butler, Alvin Shadow Creek: $100,175 David Gilpin, Mission Memorial: $96,742 Lon Holbrook, Birdville: $92,646 Class 5A, Division II- Average Salary: $107,718.63 Rodney Southern, Huntsville: $121,800 Phil Danaher, Corpus Christi Calallen: $120,963 Richard Whitaker, Port Lavaca Calhoun: $111,201 Chad Cole, Frisco Reedy: $104,698 James Williams, Fort Bend Marshall: $102,061 Max Kattwinkel, Lubbock Cooper: $102,000 Steve Wood, Aledo: $102,000 Mark Bindel, Wichita Falls Rider: $97,026

Texas High School Football Coach Salaries Top 5 from 2021 Hank Carter, Austin Lake Travis: $158,512. Scott Surratt, Carthage: $154,900. Todd Dodge, Westlake: $150,000. Gary Joseph, Katy: $138,588. Randy Allen, Highland Park: $133,875. Nov 12, 2021

Cards Defeat Seattle, Take WAC Opening-Round Game James Dixon, Assistant AD/Media Relations Despite falling behind 3-0 in the first inning, Lamar University rallied to defeat Seattle, 6-4, Wednesday afternoon in their WAC Championships opening-round game from Hohokam Stadium. Not only was Wednesday's victory the first WAC tournament win in their first WAC tournament contest, but it was also the Cardinals first conference tournament win since 2013 putting an end to a nine-game postseason skid. Big Red scored their six runs on 12 hits, while Seattle plated four runs on eight hits with an error. Seven different Cardinals recorded a hit, including four players with multi-hit games – Chase Kemp (2-for-5, 1 RBI, 1 run), Ryan Snell (2-for-4, 1 2B, 1 run), Kirkland Banks (2-for-4, 1 run) and Reese Durand (3-for-4). Seniors Matt McDonald and Josh Blankenship each finished the day with one hit but made the most of it with home runs – McDonald to right and Blankenship to left. Braxton Douthit got the start and went 4.1 innings allowing three runs – all earned – on four hits with two strike outs. Despite his strong performance he didn't figure in the decision. Douthit really only ran into trouble in the second inning giving up three runs which the offense quickly got back. Senior Max Mize came on in relief in the fifth inning and went 1.2 allowing just one earned run on three hits to pick up the win to move to 3-0 on the season. Classmate Jack Dallas pitched a scoreless 1.2 to record his 14th save of the season. After Seattle struck for three in their half of the second following a three-run home from Trevor Antonson, the Cardinals responded immediately. Leading off the next half inning, McDonald – a native of Phoenix, Ariz. – laced a 1-2 pitch over the wall in right field. LU just missed going back-to-back as Blankenship also drove a ball ball deep into right field but the ball carried just far enough to right center where the wall goes straight back allowing for an extra seven feet of playing area. The Cardinals grabbed their first lead in the very next inning. After Blankenship just missed a solo shot to opposite field in the second he came back up in the third and crushed a 3-2 pitch to left field clearing the wall with room to spare. The three-run shot gave LU a one-run lead which held until the sixth inning when Seattle tacked on a solo shot off the bat of Matt Boissoneault, but just like in the second inning the Cardinals responded in the next half inning. Three consecutive singles from Ryan Snell, Kirkland Banks and Reese Durand loaded the bases with one out. After a strike out, Kevin Bermudez drew a five-pitch walk followed by a chopper to short off the bat of Kemp – who was originally called out – but after video replay the call was overturned for the second run of the inning allowing another run – the final run of the game – to score. The Cardinals return to action Thursday to face the winner of the No. 1 Grand Canyon vs. No. 4 Abilene Christian contest. The game is slated to begin at 7 p.m. (9 p.m. Central time) from Hohokam Stadium in Mesa, Ariz. [Hidden Content]

Late-inning action decides China Spring, Orangefield playoff battle. By Van Wade- Orange Leader The China Spring Cougars outlasted the Orangefield Bobcats 5-4 in Game One of their best-of-three Class 4A Region III Semifinals series Wednesday night at Navasota High School. The Cougars (30-8) rallied from a 3-1 deficit to score four unanswered runs before the Bobcats trimmed the China Spring lead to one in the bottom of the seventh. The Bobcats outhit the Cougars 8-6 for the game but China Spring was able to hang on. Kolby Killough got the win on the mound for the Cougars. He went 6 2/3 innings, allowing eight hits while striking out nine and walking two. Maruca Rosales earned the save, recording a strikeout for the last out. Coop Longron absorbed the loss for the Bobcats. He worked all six innings, allowing six hits while striking out five and walking two. Game Two of the series will be at 4:30 p.m. Thursday at Grand Oaks High School in Spring. Game Three, if necessary, will follow 30 minutes after Game Two. The winner of the Orangefield-China Spring series will face either Carthage or Bellville in the Regional Finals next week. The Cougars scratched in a run in the bottom of the first inning. Brayden Faulkner hit a high fly ball in shallow right that fell and he advanced all the way to third for a triple. He then scored when Cage McCloud had a RBI sacrifice fly to left. The Bobcats tallied three runs in the top of the third inning, thanks to some nice small ball and three hits. Caleb Fregia, who led the Bobcats with three hits from the nine-hole, had a leadoff single to left. Kameryn Henderson then came up with a bunt and Killough made an errant throw to second as both runners was safe. Tyler Shearin, who had two hits on the night, put down a perfect bunt single down the third base line to load the bases. Kyle Michael, who also had two hits and three RBI, then came through big, smacking a two-run single up the middle. The Cougars regained the lead with a three-run bottom of the third. Jase Garrett roped a leadoff single to right centerfield and Faulkner drew a walk. McCloud then singled over short to load the bases with no outs. Trace Necessary brought in Garrett with a RBI groundout to second base. Bryce Tabor promptly laced a two-run triple in the gap into right field to give the Cougars a 4-3 edge. China Spring grabbed a run in the bottom of the fourth. Trevor Black stroked a leadoff triple to right and with one out Garrett reached on an error. Faulkner drove in Black with a sacrifice fly to right to up the Cougars’ led to 5-3. The Bobcats tried to rally in the top half of the seventh. Fregia had a leadoff single up the middle. Henderson reached on a fielder’s choice as Fregia was out at second. Shearin grounded out, moving Henderson to third and Michael plated Henderson with a line-drive RBI single to center. Killough reached the pitch limit after Michael’s at-bat and Rosales got the last out by striking out Kolbie Sowell. [Hidden Content]

Friendswood bats erupt late to beat Brenham Boots Landry blasted a three-run double in the sixth inning to power Friendswood to an 8-4 win over Brenham Wednesday in the opening game of a Region 3-5A baseball semifinal series at Cy Falls High School. The teams were tied 3-3 before the Mustangs erupted for four runs in the sixth to pull away for the victory. Brenham took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second on an RBI-double by Cayden Shields. However, Friendswood (26-7) scored twice in the top of the third inning on three Cub errors for a 2-1 edge. Brenham, though, regained the lead at 3-2 in the bottom of the third. Friendswood, though, took the lead for good when Kyle Lockhart punched a two-run single to center for a 4-3 lead. Landry then followed with a three-run double to right-center to clear the bases for a 7-3 cushion. Friendswood’s final run scored on a wild pitch to make it 8-3. Jacob Rogers started on the mound for Friendswood before Dane Perry came on in relief to close out the victory with two strong innings. Written by Ted Dunnam sports editor of the Bay Area Citizen, Friendswood Journal and Pearland Journal.