Hawks blank Wills Point, 6-0

MARSHALL, Texas—Pleasant Grove got the best of Wills Point on the baseball diamond, again.

The Hawks overcame a sluggish start on offense with a big inning, Nick Voyles pitched a 3-hit gem, and PG eliminated the Tigers, 6-0, in a 4A bi-district game Thursday at Marshall’s Maverick Field.

Voyles struck out 11 and walked two, throwing 93 pitches. The Hawks backed him with flawless defense and nine hits, despite hitting into a pair of double plays early.

Carson Cox led off the game with a hardhit single up the middle, but a line out to second resulted in a double play after Cox had stole second. Ben Harmon grounded a single to center in the second inning for PG (22-3), and an error out two on. A pair of fly outs stranded the pair.

Andrew LeGrand, the No. 9 batter for the Hawks, legged out a double to right-center to lead off the third inning, but another line drive resulted in the second double play for the Tigers (13-13), this one a line shot back to the pitcher, who made the catch and doubled off LeGrand at second to end the inning.

Through four innings, Voyles allowed just an infield single, a slow-roller down the third-base line, in the second inning and had two strikeouts in the third and two more in the fourth.

The Hawks finally got to Wills Point starter Sam Berberish in the fifth, sending 10 batters up and scoring half of those.

Braden Hlavinka’s deep fly to center went over the center fielder’s head for a double, and Matthew Gilley beat out a bunt single on an 0-2 pitch. Pinch-hitter Marshall Cox drove in a run on a high chopper to third.

After a sac bunt, Carson Cox singled to left to make it 3-0. He scored on an error, and

Seth Hopkins’ single was misplayed to send a fifth run home for Pleasant Grove.

Voyles fanned the first two of the fifth for strikeout Nos. 5 and 6, walked the third batter and struck out the next to end the inning.

The Tigers got singles by Seth Wilson and Chase Daniell sandwiched around a walk to load the bases with one out in the sixth inning,. But PG shortstop Jackson Cobb snagged a line drive to steal a hit and save a run, and Voyles struck out the next batter to preserve the shutout.

Ben Harmon drove in a run in the seventh with his fielder’s choice, plating courtesy runner Ryan Pickelman.