Sherlin delivers Game 1 win
By the time Connor Berry and Blaine Holden scored on Chase Keng’s sixth-inning triple and Keng came around to score on Clay Aguilar’s double, the outcome had been pretty much decided in Deer Park’s favor.
The three-run rally was welcomed by the Deer but not necessary. Peyton Sherlin saw to that. The lefthander allowed only a one-out fifth-inning single in silencing Ridge Point 7-0 on Thursday night in Game 1 of a best-of-three Class 6A Region III semifinal at Schroeder Park on the University of Houston campus.
“He pitched a great game. That’s what he’s done all year,” Deer Park coach Chris Rupp said. “His breaking ball and changeup was really good.
“And then we got some timely hits, and when you get this deep (into the playoffs), you’ve got to get that kind of pitching.”
Game 2 is here on Friday at 7:30 p.m. Game 3, if necessary, also will be played at UH, on Saturday at 2 p.m.
Sherlin, who has signed with Dallas Baptist, was unhittable until the Panthers’ Ron Washington stroked a sharp single to center with one out in the fifth. Sherlin (9-1) struck out eight and walked one.
“I came into this game 100 percent focused,” Sherlin said. “I had a task at hand, had to get it done. I wanted to be there for my teammates.
“(My off-speed pitch) was spot-on all game. I could feel it from the first pitch.”
Building momentum
It was a big night all around for Sherlin and several of his senior teammates. Immediately following the game, a graduation ceremony was held for the Deer Park baseball and softball teams.
Reece Moon and Holden had two hits each for the Deer, who collected nine hits and scored two runs in each of the second and fourth innings before padding on three runs in the sixth inning.
Winning the crucial first game of the series puts Deer Park in good position in the series.
“It’s huge; it’s all the momentum in the world,” said Deer Park’s Clay Aguilar, who participated in Thursday’s graduation ceremony on the UH field, with which he is familiar, having signed to play college baseball for the Cougars. “Tomorrow we’re going to play as hard as we can and try to finish this up in two.”
Aguilar, who will start Game 2 on Friday for the Deer, went 2-for-3 with a run and RBI.
Sherlin’s only baserunners allowed before the fifth-inning hit came on a one-out walk in the top of the first to Parker Wayne, who was picked off trying to steal second base, a fielding error by third baseman Mark Barrow in the fourth, and a dropped ball with one out in the fifth by Holden at second base.
‘One of the best
After Holden’s error, Washington followed with the single, putting runners at first and second and one out. But Sherlin got out of the jam by striking out Wayne and inducing Michael Cooper to ground out to Holden at second to preserve the Deer’s 4-0 lead.
“Peyton did awesome,” Aguilar said. “He’s been doing that all year and last year. He’s one of the best. Definitely good to have (him) on your team.”