’Stangs, ’Cats square off for final spot

[KFDM COOP]

’Stangs, ’Cats square off for final spot

Gabriel Pruett

The Orange Leader

It has been awhile since the West Orange-Stark Mustangs have been in this position.

Matter of fact, the same can be said for the Orangefield Bobcats.

Both teams will have a lot to play for tonight as the third and final playoff spot in District 21-3A is up for grabs between the two rival schools.

The Mustangs (11-12, 4-5) will travel to face the Orangefield Bobcats (18-9, 5-4) in the final game of the district season.

It is win and move on for the Bobcats and lose and go home for the Mustangs.

A Mustangs’ win would force a one-game, play-in game next week for the two Orange County squads.

Neither WO-S nor Orangefield have made the playoffs since 2005. WO-S lost to Lufkin Hudson in the second round of the playoffs in 2005 while Orangefield lost to Bridge City in the regional quarterfinals.

“Obviously it is the biggest game of our year,†WO-S coach Jesse Riojas said. “It is now do or die. We visualized at the start of the year this would happen with us and Orangefield in the final game. Now we have to beat them twice or go home, it is as simple as that.â€

The Mustangs could have done themselves a huge favor Tuesday yet came up short, 4-2, against the Hardin-Jefferson Hawks. A Mustangs’ win would have set up the ultimate do-or-die situation for the Bobcats and Mustangs.

“My expectations now is for this team to win two games over the next few days,†Riojas said. “They are a big rival for us so anytime we play it is a big game. Now it comes down to is it going to be us or them? It is all about getting into the playoffs now.â€

Orangefield coach Jeff Bennett also said he could see this game meaning something when he first looked at the district schedule.

“We knew things would come down to the final game,†Bennett said. “We didn’t know yet if it would be out of us Hardin-Jefferson, Silsbee or Hamshire-Fannett and now it so happens it is West Orange-Stark and that is who we play. We have talked about that we better come ready to play or they will get us. We are in a unique position that we are one game up but I don’t want it to go to that one-game deal. Anything can happen in one game.â€

Bennett also praised the Mustangs for being in this position after having a few down seasons.

“Riojas has done a good job with that team,†Bennett said. “He has brought that program up a far cry from where it had been over the last several years. He is to be commended for it and we will have to play our best to beat those guys.â€

The Bobcats ripped through the Mustangs 10-2 at Ronnie Anderson Field in the first half of district play.

Orangefield led 5-1 going into the sixth and then scored five more runs. Catcher Jacob Felts blasted a three-run home run in the top of the sixth.

Felts went five innings for the Bobcats and gave up two runs on three hits with four strike outs. Zach Peevey finished off the game and struck out two.

“The first game doesn’t matter anymore,†Bennett said. “It was a tight game through the fourth and fifth innings. Coach Riojas will have his team ready to play on Friday.â€

The Cardinals (21-2-1, 9-0) will be looking for win No. 16 in a row when they travel to face the Hamshire-Fannett Longhorns (18-5, 6-3).

Bridge City is already the District 21-3A champions while Hamshire-Fannett has locked up a playoff spot.

The Cardinals won 10-7 in the first game with the Longhorns. Bridge City was up 4-0 before Hamshire-Fannett took a 5-4 lead in the top of the fifth.

Bridge City then erupted for six runs in the bottom of the fifth, including RBIs from Blake Snyder and Grant Encalade and a three-run home run from Caleb Kellogg.

Kellogg also got the win on the hill, striking out six.

The Little Cypress-Mauriceville Bears have already punched their ticket to the playoffs yet there is never any love lost when LC-M takes on Vidor.

LC-M (19-10, 9-2) defeated Vidor (12-8, 6-5) 4-3 at Don Gibbons Field in the first round of the district schedule.

Dallas Brown and Shane Waddell teamed up on the mound for the Bears and struck out a combined nine Pirates’ batters.

Scott Vaughn had a two-run home run in the bottom of the second to give the Bears a 2-0 lead before the Pirates struck for two runs in the top of the third to tie the game off a homer from Chaz Bruce and a RBI single from Hunter Hagler.

Dallas Brown untied the game with a solo shot in the bottom of the fourth and Matt Johnson scored in the fifth on a wild pitch.

After Friday’s game, the Bears finish with a home game against Lumberton and a road trip to face the Beaumont Ozen Panthers.

The Pirates face LC-M before traveling to face Nederland and then finishing the district season with a home game against Livingston.

The Port Neches-Groves Indians are sitting in third in the district standings and travel to face Lumberton tonight before a home game against Ozen and a road trip to take on Beaumont Central.

[Critter]

Should be interesting cause OF used most of their pitchers against BC....

[Bobcatfan4life]

Should be interesting cause OF used most of their pitchers against BC....

I feel that Felts may get the start. He pitched well against WOS in the first round

[24 over par]

good luck to both

[bobcatpapa]

critter, i don't know what game you are thinking about, but OF pitched statum 5 complete innings and pitched three pitchers, whitson, angelle, and peevey in the 6th and 7th innings. and none of them threw very many pitches. this will leave everyone except statum available to pitch tomorrow.