Patel, Smith lift Klein Oak
Aldine Davis won two flips to force a one-game playoff at Davis, but that was the only thing that went its way.
Klein Oak left nothing to chance on the field.
Devon Patel notched 12 strikeouts in five innings of relief, No. 9 hitter Hunter Smith smashed a three-run homer, and the Panthers rolled to a 9-0 victory Thursday night in the Class 6A Region II bi-district game.
“I’m not calling any more flips,” Klein Oak coach Bo Hernandez said. “(But) I knew they were going to respond, so I left it in their hands.”
Klein Oak (15-11) will face Austin Bowie or Round Rock Stony Point in the area round.
Davis, which finished third in District 16-6A, ended its season 12-14.
Tyler Thompson started for the Panthers and fared well in the first inning, but he tweaked a hamstring, which bothered him when he landed, so Patel entered in the second and Thompson moved to third base.
The junior was ready for the challenge. Patel fanned five of the first six batters he faced and finished with a dozen, one walk and three hits on 82 pitches.
“We had to make a move, the next guy in line was (Patel), and he filled in,” Hernandez said. “He did well getting ahead in the count and pounding the zone, and that’s exactly what he needed to do.”
Patel did it by spotting his fastball up to 90 mph Thursday.
“He’s one we relied on during district, and we knew, coming in with one game, there was no room for error,” Hernandez said.
Kevin Hoy fanned three in the seventh, giving Klein Oak pitchers 16 strikeouts.
Meanwhile, the offense was humming.
The Panthers cranked out 10 clutch hits, all in the third through six innings.
Center fielder Kyle Bearden went 2-for-3 with a walk, a tworun double in the third inning and a triple in the sixth, when he got caught in a rundown that likely kept the Panthers from ending the game early.
Caden McMullen went 2-for-3 with two runs scored.
Smith’s three-run blast to left field — where the Panthers were sending balls all night — made it 9-0 in the fifth.
“We had a lot of timely hits, with runners in scoring position, which is what we need to win games, and (Smith) made some adjustments during his atbat and was able to square one up,” Hernandez said.
As a result, Hernandez was able to empty his bench in the last two innings.
“Our guys go about it the right way day in and day out at practice, and I like to reward them for doing what we ask of them,” Hernandez said.
Roberto Garcia took the loss for the Falcons in 32⁄3 innings of work. Luis Castillo led their offense, going 1-for-2 with a walk and a double.