Hawks clinch Game 1
PG’s Bolden shackles Argyle in 6-1 conquest
TYLER, Texas— Argyle was stopped in its tracks by a Pleasant Grove senior’s arm.
Caleb Bolden pitched a three-hitter as the Hawks defeated Argyle, 6-1, in Game 1 of the best-of-three series of the Region II-4A semifinals Thursday at Mike Carter Field.
Game 2 is Saturday at 2 p.m. back at Mike Carter Field, and a third game, if needed, will follow.
“Caleb did great and that is what we expected him to do,” Hawk head coach Riley Fincher said. “We do everything to prepare our team, and Caleb did outstanding.
“I thought it was a complete team effort from swinging the bats to moving runners over, and I thought our defense played well behind Caleb.”
The Hawks used their No. 1 arm in Bolden, but the Eagles decided to save their top two arms for Saturday.
Bolden forced three ground outs for the first three outs of the game for Pleasant Grove.
Cade Thompson slapped a lead-off single to left center for the Hawks. Bolden walked to put two on with no outs in the first.
Carson Cox hit a hot roller up the middle to score Thompson, and courtesy runner Logan Overmyer was thrown out at third. PG took a 1-0 lead after one frame.
The Hawks’ Bolden struck out the side in the second frame.
Connor Ouellette singled to right field and took second on a wild pitch for Pleasant Grove.
Will Hlavinka smacked a 1-run single to right to make it 2-0 in favor of the Hawks in the second frame. Jackson Cobb beat out the tag at first for an infield single and Hlavinka advanced to second with one out.
A batter later, Bolden clubbed a 1-run single to shallow right, and Heath Ferguson slapped a 1-run single to right to make it 4-0 PG after two innings.
Argyle got on the board in the fourth with a 1-run single up the middle by Bryson Hudgens to make it 4-1.
A Hawk throwing error extended the inning and juiced the bases, but Bolden induced a popup to third baseman Ouellette for the third out.
Cox hit a deep shot to left to score Thompson, who had singled to the firstbase side. PG took a 5-1 lead.
Keaton Russo singled to left to juice the bases with two outs in the fourth for the Hawks. Tyler Jeans walked to score courtesy runner Overmyer to make it 6-1.
Bolden retired the side in the sixth for Pleasant Grove.
Ferguson walked to lead off the sixth and stole second. Cox grounded out and Ferguson took third on the fielder’s choice with one out for the Hawks, but PG failed to score him.
Bolden pitched seven innings, fanned 12, allowed one run on three hits and walked one for the Hawks.
Eagles starter Brett Lundy pitched 3 2/3 innings, gave up 6 runs on 10 hits, struck out five and walked three. Argyle 000 100 0—1 3 2 Pleasant Grove 130 200 x—6 101 Brett Lundy, Parker Abrego (4), and Austin King. Caleb Bolden and Keaton Russo. WP-Bolden. LP-Lundy.