10 THINGS TO KNOW
Barbers Hill softball back on top; Atascocita, Angleton make waves
Eagles win sixth straight
2The Atascocita softball team stayed on track for its pivotal rematch with rival Kingwood, picking up its sixth straight win since its only loss this season — 12-1 on March 8 at Kingwood – in a 4-0 win over Goose Creek Memorial. P Tierrah Williams picked up the win, fanning 12 with only two hits and no walks in a complete-game shutout. The Eagles (15-1, 6-1) have outscored opponents 55-5 since their run-rule loss to Kingwood, keeping them just ahead of their rivals in the Texas Girls Coaches Association’s 6A poll, where they’re fourth and Kingwood, which is 19-3, 7-0, is sixth.
Angleton upends No. 1 Foster
3The Foster softball team was rolling as the top-ranked 5A team in the state — until it met up with Angleton last week. The Wildcats took the lead in the first inning, then made it hold up with a strong pitching performance in a 1-0 upset, propelling them to the
top of District 27-5A. They followed that win with an 8-2 victory over Port Lavaca Calhoun to improve to 16-4, 6-0 while outscoring their first six district opponents 63-3. Foster rebounded with a 3-1 win over Lamar Consolidated on Tuesday. The two state-ranked clubs meet again April 18 at Foster.
State softball rankings
4The Houston area’s teams continue to fill the top half of the 6A state poll, with Katy at No. 3, Atascocita fourth, MacArthur fifth, Kingwood sixth and Spring seventh. Alvin and Dickinson check in at Nos. 13 and 14, respectively, this week, and Deer Park is 22nd after starting 22-6A play with a 6-0 record. In 5A, Foster slipped to No. 2, Barbers Hill is eighth, Angleton is 11th and Crosby is 15th.
Longhorns leap over Oilers
5George Ranch (20-1, 4-0) reaffirmed its No. 1 Class 6A state ranking in Tuesday’s matchup with Pearland, rolling to an 11-4 win despite the Oilers’ 8-7 hits advantage thanks to a combined four walks and one hit batsmen in two three- run innings. Pitcher Joseph Menefee, who is committed to Texas A&M, led the way, throwing five solid innings while recording two triples, one double and three RBIs at the plate.
Cougars walk off with win
6While the Crosby softball team was struggling with Barbers Hill on the other side of the school’s new baseball and softball facilities, the baseball team was working toward a dramatic finish with Kingwood Park. Tied 0-0 in the bottom of the seventh, shortstop Daniel Balderrama sent a curveball over the left-field wall for a two-run homer and 2-0 walkoff victory, keeping the Cougars (14-2-2, 7-1) within one game of the district-leading Eagles (14-3, 8-0).
State baseball rankings
7George Ranch continues to lead the Texas High School Baseball 6A rankings, but several Houston area teams are right behind the Longhorns, with Cy Ranch — which stumbled in a 2-1 loss to Cy Woods on Tuesday — checking in at No. 3 this week, followed by No. 4 Kempner, No. 5 Atascocita, No. 6 Lamar, No. 7 Deer Park and No. 10 Travis. Magnolia still leads the area’s 5As at No. 5.
Atascocita vs. Kingwood softball, 6 p.m. Friday, Kingwood
8The Mustangs dominated the rival Eagles in their first meeting March 8 at Atascocita and they haven’t let up since, posting their ninth straight win Tuesday, 14-1 over C.E. King.
Deer Park vs. Pasadena Memorial baseball, 4 p.m. Friday, Pasadena Memorial
9The stateranked Deer battle Pasadena Memorial for first in 22-6A. They’re both 4-1 in district after recording wins Tuesday, with their only losses to 4-1 La Porte.
Cy Ranch vs. Cy Woods baseball, 7 p.m. Friday, Cy Woods
10The two teams, in a three-way tie with Cy-Fair for first in 17-6A, meet again after the Wildcats picked up a rare win in the series Tuesday thanks to the Mustangs’ untimely errors.
Jason McDaniel is a Texas Sports Nation contributor.
Blain Holden, right, and Deer Park face district rival Pasadena Memorial for first place in the league Friday. Jason Fochtman / Houston Chronicle