James Bowie claims III-2A quarterfinal
MOUNT PLEASANT, Texas—James Bowie claimed the Region III-2A quarterfinal baseball title with a 3-1 win over Union Grove Friday night, sweeping the best-of-three series, 2-0.
“I've been preaching all week, this has been big time,” said James Bowie Wace Forga. “This game is more mental than anything, it's overcome the mental part of it. I said it yesterday: it's how you react to your mistakes that's going to set the tone at the end of the game and that is what is going to determine the outcome. We've been preaching all week the mental part to our guys and we didn't get done in and I think that is what drove us through in the end; the mental game and the guys not quitting.”
The James Bowie-Union Grove contest was tied 1-1 in the bottom of sixth with the bases loaded for the Bucs at Mount Pleasant High School's O.L. Colley Field.
Lions' pitcher Kase Smith walked Logan Graham, forcing Dylan Trissel home to give James Bowie a one-run edge. Two batters later, Bailey Obenosky singled to right, allowing Branson Wilson to score the final run of the game.
The Pirates (22-4) advance to the regional semifinals against the Groveton Indians (19-2), which swept Lovelady by scores of 6-2 and 3-0.
“It looks like it's going to Groveton,” said coach Forga. “They've got a guy on the mound that can bring it; getting past him is going to be key. I want to go a three-game series with them. This late in the game, I've said it before, teams aren't just here by mistake; they're going to get better every week. Some of the mistakes that we made today that we got by with, we are not going to be able to make them against a team like Groveton.”
Neither team was able to convert a run in the first two innings.
Union Grove took a one-run advantage in the third after a wild pitch gave Dylan Border, who was lurching on third base, time to steal home.
In the third and fourth inning the Lions' gathered their outs without giving up any runs; leaving four Pirate hitters out to dry.
“I have a group of guys that I've never seen quit on the field,” said coach Forga. “As long as I've been here, they've never quit.”
Pirate Craige Croley smashed a double up the middle in the fifth to bring home Dalton McBride, which tied the game at 1-all.
James Bowie kept their foot on the gas in the sixth, stopping the Lions' cold and bringing in the two runs that put the game out of reach.
After three outs on four pitches in the top of the seventh, including a diving catch on a foul ball by Noah Maynan, the contest was over.
Winning pitcher Evan Barron went the distance, throwing 75 pitches, allowing one run on two hits and striking out five.
“We will go regroup. Defense is our rock,” Forga said. ” That's what we rely on; our pitching and our defense. As long as we can do that we can manufacture runs.”