Inside: Tigers’ season ends in 4-1 defeat,
Texas High’s baseball season came to an end against Forney for the second straight year.
The Tigers fell behind 3-0 early and never mounted a comeback against lefty Jonathan Childress and the Jackrabbits, who swept the 5A regional quarterfinal series with a 4-1 win Friday at Tiger Field.
Childress and THS’ right-harder Walker Davis locked up in a pitching duel, and one fateful inning was enough for Forney (24-11-1).
Childress needed 103 pitches to work all seven innings, allowing one earned run on four hits. He struck out nine and walked two.
Davis threw 102 pitches in seven innings, allowing five hits and four runs—three earned—with five strikeouts, two walks and a hit batsman.
“Against good teams, it seems like it’s on inning here or there that makes the difference,” Tiger coach John McClure said. “Both of their pitchers are very dominant and did
a good job. We’re rooting for them and hope they go all the way.
“Walker Davis did a great job of competing all game long.”
Texas High had its best chance in the seventh inning, when Connor Allred legged out an infield single to leadoff the inning. Dakota Turner walked to put two on with no outs, but a grounder to third resulted in a double play, leaving pinch-runner Chris Cowan at second.
Freshman Rian Cellers lined an 0-2 pitch into right to drive in THS’ run, but Childress struck out the next batter to end the game.
The Tigers, who end their year at 26-7, turned double plays in each the first and second innings.
A throwing error allowed the first batter of the game to reach for Forney, but a line drive back to Davis was snagged by the pitcher, who threw to first baseman Dakota Turner to double off the lead runner.
In the second, Caden Bork lined a 1-out single to left, and Tyler Jones grounded a hit to right. A line drive was snagged by shortstop Chris Sutton, who threw to second in time to double off Bork.
Cole Christen beat out an infield single in the bottom of the second for Texas High and went to second on a throwing error, but he was stranded there.
In the third, the Jackrabbits took advantage of a leadoff walk and 2-base throwing error on a bunt. Sean Stephens lined a 2-run single into left field, and Tyler Dickey just beat the throw home for the second run. Stephens, who had went to second on the throw to the plate, moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on Mason Englert’s sac fly to left.
“Last night it was back-and-forth, and then they had that one big inning,” McClure said. “Tonight they had that one big inning early. Walker could have lost his composure, but he didn’t. I’m really proud of our seniors.
“Hopefully, that group busted the door wide open and showed us the way where Texas High baseball should be. The underclassmen got a taste of it, and as long as we take the same approach next year we should still be successful.”
Sutton lined a 1-out single to center field in the fourth, but the Tigers left a runner at first to end the inning. Adam Quinn worked a leadoff walk in the sixth inning, he was out at second in a fielder’s choice on a line drive to center field. Childress struck out the next two.
Jones bounced an infield hit over the mound for Forney in the top of the seventh to snap a streak of 13 consecutive outs for Davis and the Tigers. Jones stole second, and pinch-hitter Chase Wiggins lined an RBI single to center to make it 4-0.