ROUND 3 RUMBLES: Academy, Lake Belton, Salado, Gatesville face tough tests in regional quarterfinals

By GREG WILLE

TempleBeltonSports.com

gwille2@hot.rr.com

The Texas high school baseball playoffs began two weeks ago with 32 teams in each region of each classification. But with postseason play now in its third week, those beefy fields have been trimmed to eight squads in each region, meaning that long-range dreams of reaching the University Interscholastic state tournament are getting closer to becoming a reality.

Four Temple-area teams remain alive in the regional quarterfinal round, all in Region III: Lake Belton in Class 5A, district rivals Gatesville and Salado in 4A and Academy in 3A.

Academy will be the first team to start third-round competition, with the 16th-ranked Bumblebees (24-8-1) battling No. 12 Maypearl (24-8) in a best-of-three series at West High School beginning at 7 p.m. Wednesday. Game 2 is at 7 p.m. Thursday, with a third game set for 1 p.m. Friday if necessary.

In its first season at the 5A level, third-year program Lake Belton (28-7) gets a stern test when the No. 16 Broncos (28-7) challenge No. 3 Magnolia West (27-4) in a best-of-three series at Caldwell High School starting at 7 p.m. Thursday. Game 2 is at 7 p.m. Friday, with an if-needed Game 3 scheduled for 2 p.m. Saturday.

District 23-4A members Salado and Gatesville also are gearing up to compete against highly ranked opponents.

Salado’s Eagles (19-10-2) take on the No. 11 Taylor Ducks (26-3-1) in a best-of-three series at Georgetown East View that begins at 6 p.m. Thursday. Game 2 is at 5 p.m. Friday, followed by a third game 30 minutes later if necessary.

Meanwhile, Gatesville’s Hornets (17-15) are going the single-game route against 23-4A rival China Spring (29-3-1), whose Cougars are ranked fifth. They’ll clash at 7 p.m. Thursday at Lake Belton.

Academy, Lake Belton, Salado and Gatesville all have faced and survived an elimination game during the playoffs. In the bi-district round, Salado advanced past Burnet in three games and Gatesville needed three games to defeat Marble Falls. In area-round action last week, Academy eliminated Whitney in Game 3 and Lake Belton earned a Game 3 victory against Elgin.

After sweeping Groesbeck in an area-round series, District 19-3A runner-up Academy ran into previous nemesis Whitney, which eliminated the Bees from the area round of the playoffs in 2021 and 2022. In the teams’ third consecutive second-round matchup, Coach Garrett Vail’s Academy club cruised to a 10-0, five-inning win over 17-3A fourth seed Whitney in Game 1 at Axtell behind senior pitcher Alex Hoffman’s complete game.

The Wildcats responded with a 5-2 victory in Axtell to force a deciding Game 3 last Saturday in Corsicana. After Bees senior righty Alex Lawton escaped some jams to pitch six shutout innings, Academy finally broke through with two runs in the bottom of the sixth to seize a 2-0 lead.

Zane Clark reached on an infield single and scored when Whitney misplayed Lawton’s bunt, then Trey Ward added a sacrifice fly. Hoffman pitched a perfect seventh to save the clinching win, sending the Bees to the Region III quarterfinals.

Academy now battles a strong Maypearl team that has followed a similar playoff path. The Panthers swept bi-district foe Blooming Grove, then beat 19-3A third seed Cameron Yoe 4-1 to open the series in Axtell before the Yoemen answered with a 5-1 win to force Game 3. However, Maypearl encountered no difficulties in the finale, rolling to an 11-1 victory over No. 17 Yoe to earn its trip to the regional quarterfinals.

Maypearl shared the 17-3A championship with Grandview at 9-1, then beat the Zebras 4-1 in a tiebreaker game to grab the district’s No. 1 playoff seed. The Panthers posted a pair of close district wins over West, which last week swept 19-3A champion Troy in the area round.

The Academy-Maypearl winner advances to next week’s regional semifinal against the victor of the best-of-three series between No. 3 Orangefield (27-4) and No. 6 Nacogdoches Central Heights (28-4-1).

In 5A, Lake Belton earned its Region III quarterfinal berth on the strength of home wins over Elgin in Game 1 and Game 3 at Bronco Ballpark.

The Broncos of first-year coach Chris Peacock won the series opener 7-1 as senior right-hander and Temple College signee Mason Gerrard pitched a complete game. The Wildcats responded at home in Game 2, coming back to take a 5-4 victory and square the series.

Game 3 originally was scheduled for Saturday in Elgin, but overnight rain made the Wildcats’ field unplayable and the teams instead moved the finale to Lake Belton's artificial turf.

The game was scoreless through four innings, but the Broncos broke through in the top of the fifth. Their five-run outburst was keyed by big hits from Malaki McGehee, Tyler Junior College signee Ty Jackson and Brandon Bell.

Senior right-hander and Air Force commitment Connor Bartz pitched 6 1/3 effective innings before Matthew Stanford got the final two outs to secure Lake Belton’s 5-1 victory and first trip to the 5A regional quarterfinals. Junior righty Mason Law is another strong pitcher for the Broncos.

The Broncos now battle a top-notch opponent in 21-5A champion Magnolia West, which swept its first two playoff series against Killeen and Pflugerville by a combined score of 34-3. The Mustangs are 16-1 in their last 17 games.

The Lake Belton-Magnolia West winner advances to the Region III semifinals to play the winner of the series between No. 1-ranked Friendswood (27-4-2) and Mont Belvieu Barbers Hill (25-10-1).

After placing fourth in highly competitive 23-4A, Gatesville has benefited from that experience in the playoffs. The Hornets of third-year coach Chase Smith won their bi-district series against Marble Falls with an 8-3 road victory in Game 3, then swept area-round opponent Giddings with 11-0 and 4-2 wins.

Gatesville has an outstanding pitcher in junior left-hander Bralen Veazey, whose 125 strikeouts this year broke Johnny Clark’s single-season school record that stood for 35 years. Junior catcher Lawson Mooney broke another long-standing Hornets record, with the most stolen bases in a season.

Senior right-hander Grant Erwin pitched Gatesville’s series-clinching win against Giddings. Veazey, Banner Allman and Ben Mabry are among the Hornets’ leading top hitters.

Ace pitcher Veazey is expected to start on the mound in the one-game showdown with China Spring, which beat Gatesville 10-0 and 7-3 in district in early April.

The Cougars are coached by Cory Beckham, who guided West to multiple state championships and was Lake Belton’s coach for the Broncos’ first two playoff seasons in 2021 and 2022. China Spring, a 32-9 state semifinalist last year, is riding a 22-game winning streak.

The Gatesville-China Spring victor will advance to the Region III semifinal against the winner of the series between No. 8 Carthage (27-6) and No. 15 Bullard (24-8).

Like Gatesville, Salado was a battle-tested team coming out of 23-4A and that experience proved crucial for the Eagles in the first two playoff rounds. Coach Emery Atkisson’s squad needed three games to move past bi-district foe Burnet, although both wins were by 10-plus runs. Salado cruised past Caldwell in the area round, prevailing 5-0 and 7-1.

The Eagles feature an outstanding pitching tandem in senior right-hander Caden Strickland – a Blinn College signee – and junior lefty Logan Flores. Salado’s offense is fueled by players such as Strickland, Flores, Drew Bird, Owen Curtis, Lane Heath, Kase Maedgen and Will Messner.

Salado likely will need to be at the top of its game against a strong Taylor team that won the 22-4A championship with a 9-1 record. The Ducks are 15-1 in their last 16 games after they swept Robinson 1-0 and 5-3 in the area round. Taylor’s ace is junior left-hander Chris Perez, a University of Houston commitment who hurled a five-inning no-hitter against Gatesville in March.

The Salado-Taylor winner will advance to the Region III semifinals to play the winner of the series between No. 10 Lufkin Hudson (27-6-3) and No. 7 Longview Spring Hill (25-6-2).

#Academy #AcademyBumblebees #LakeBelton #LakeBeltonBroncos #Salado #SaladoEagles #Gatesville #GatesvilleHornets #Baseball2023 #TXHSbaseball #TXHSBaseballPlayoffs #TempleBeltonSports

BALANCE OF POWER: Deep lineup, strong pitching fuel Leopards for Region V tourney opener vs. Odessa

MAN WITH THE PLAN: Temple College 25th-year head baseball coach Craig McMurtry speaks to his team at practice Tuesday in preparation for the NJCAA Region V Tournament in Weatherford. The Leopards (35-17), who went 22-10 in NTJCAC play for second place behind sixth-ranked Weatherford, battle Odessa (34-21) in a first-round game scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday at Roger Williams Ballpark. The champion of the eight-team, double-elimination event will advance to the Junior College World Series in Grand Junction, Colorado. (Photo by Greg Wille, TempleBeltonSports.com)

By GREG WILLE

TempleBeltonSports.com

gwille2@hot.rr.com

The 2023 baseball season has been a successful one for Temple College, which is ready to compete in the NJCAA Region V Tournament after missing postseason play last year.

The Leopards have a 35-17 overall record and went 22-10 in Northern Texas Junior College Athletic Conference action, finishing as runner-up to runaway champion and sixth-ranked Weatherford. TC begins the double-elimination regional tournament Friday, battling Odessa (34-21) at 7 p.m. at Weatherford College’s Roger Williams Ballpark.

Examining the statistical report, it’s easy to see why the Temple team of 25th-year head coach Craig McMurtry has played such a stellar brand of all-around ball: depth, balance and versatility.

No fewer than 13 players have made key contributions on offense and defense. Sophomore first baseman Simon Larranaga leads the Leopards with 12 home runs, 88 total bases and a .693 slugging percentage while batting .354, and freshman third baseman and Texas A&M signee Cade Climie paces the club with a .369 batting average and 40 runs batted in.

Freshman center fielder Trent Rucker (.329) leads TC with 54 hits, 43 runs, three triples and 14 stolen bases. Sophomore right fielder Colby Christian has five homers and 32 RBI, sophomore left fielder Dawson French is hitting .339 with 12 steals and freshman second baseman Cole Tabor is batting .312 with 24 RBI.

Sophomore designated hitter Hogan Heller (23 RBI) paces Temple with 11 doubles and 29 walks, and freshman first baseman Lance Cantrell is hitting .305 with 19 RBI.

“I think our depth is better – not really depth as far as crazy numbers of players, but depth as far as through the lineup,” McMurtry said during the Leopards’ practice Tuesday evening. “You’ve got Rucker leading off, then Tabor has his moments, Climie’s had a really good year, Simon’s been good, Hogan’s been decent, French jumps in and Colby’s come on late.”

And although their offensive numbers are modest, sophomore shortstop Raithen Malone and the catching tandem of freshman Ty Marthiljohni and sophomore Bryan Williams (Temple High School) have played sharp, reliable defense.

From a pitching perspective, sophomore right-hander Luis Martinez-Gomez has been a workhorse for TC’s starting rotation, leading the Leopards in wins with a 7-3 record while working a team-high 56 2/3 innings.

Sophomore righty Clay Westbrook will miss the remainder of the season with a shoulder injury after going 6-3 with 51 strikeouts, but freshman righty and Georgia Tech transfer Christian Okerholm has helped picked up the slack, producing a 5-0 record and a team-best 2.16 earned-run average with 43 strikeouts and only 32 hits allowed in 50 innings.

Freshman righty Garrett Baumann has been outstanding with a 4-0 record, 2.17 ERA and a team-leading 59 strikeouts against 13 walks in 45 2/3 innings, while freshman lefty Tyler Cooper has used his sharp-breaking curveball to rack up eight saves, a 2.70 ERA and 54 strikeouts in 33 1/3 innings for a staggering figure of 14.6 punchouts per nine innings.

Temple must win at least four games during four or five days to beat out seven other teams for the regional championship and earn its fourth trip – and first since 2018 – to the Junior College World Series in Grand Junction, Colorado.

Along with the aforementioned pitchers, the Leopards likely will need positive contributions from talented-but-inconsistent lefties Dash Albus and Joel Burgess Jr. and freshman righty reliever Colin Huspen to succeed in the grueling format.

“I think there is the capability of having enough arms. Always the big question mark is, are they going to pitch to their potential in those games?” said McMurtry, the former major league pitcher who oversees Temple’s mound staff.

Host Weatherford (46-9) is the tournament favorite after going 29-3 in conference play to finish seven games ahead of TC. The Leopards went 1-3 against the stout Coyotes, who have the NTJCAC Hitter of the Year in Robin Villeneuve and the Pitcher of the Year in Ryne Rodriguez.

“I think Weatherford had eight first-team all-conference guys,” McMurtry said.

McLennan (38-18) is the NTJCAC’s No. 3 seed and the No. 4 is Cisco (35-21), which tied for fifth but replaced Ranger in the regional field after Ranger self-reported an NJCAA violation on player eligibility.

Ninth-ranked New Mexico JC (43-12) won the Western Junior College Athletic Conference championship by five games over Midland (41-13). No. 3 seed Odessa and No. 4 seed New Mexico Military Institute (38-18) also represent the WJCAC.

Temple's pitching staff will contend with Odessa’s prolific offense. The Wranglers feature Liam MacDonald (.418, 15 home runs, 77 RBI), Chase Diggins (.434, 34 RBI, 20 steals) and Camden Colman (.376, six homers, 56 RBI).

The Temple-Odessa winner will play the New Mexico-Cisco victor at 7 p.m. Saturday. The championship game is scheduled for 5 p.m. Monday, with a second title game to played at 1 p.m. Tuesday if necessary.

The Leopards last captured the Region V championship in 2010. They made it back to Grand Junction in 2018, taking third place in the regional before finalists McLennan and Cisco were controversially removed from the tournament because of an on-field altercation that resulted in numerous ejections and suspensions.

Two major factors in Temple’s success this season are Martinez-Gomez’s effective pitching and Larranaga’s impressive slugging. Both players have been pleasant surprises in their own ways.

The 6-foot-2, 175-pound Martinez-Gomez is from Pomona, California in the greater Los Angeles area and pitched as a freshman last year at nearby San Bernardino Valley College, compiling 69 strikeouts in 45 2/3 innings. However, he wanted a fresh scene and a new challenge.

“I told one of my old coaches (Aaron Weintraub) at my junior college that I wanted to leave and go find a different school, a different environment,” Martinez-Gomez said. “He started reaching out to schools for me and reached out here and had a couple phone calls with (TC assistant coach Nathan) Train.”

Martinez-Gomez’s season highlight was his performance against rival and previous nemesis McLennan on April 8 in Waco. He pitched a four-hit shutout with six strikeouts as the Leopards won 3-0 to clinch a series victory over the Highlanders.

Martinez-Gomez said “my phone got blown up” by recruiters from four-year programs after that McLennan game. He’s considering NCAA Division II power Angelo State along with receiving interest from several Division I teams.

“This year one of the biggest changes I’ve had was just to be in the (strike) zone more. I kind of threw away having a lot of Ks per nine and just tried to be efficient,” said Martinez-Gomez, who’s pitched three complete games and limited batters to 42 hits in 56 2/3 innings. “Strikeouts are cool and all, but it doesn’t help if you’re out of the game by the fifth.

“I always try to expect great things for myself. I feel like that’s a good way to set goals,” he added. “I feel like I’ve really improved from last year, and that was the main goal. Being here in Texas, it’s been fun and I’ve met a lot of great guys.”

McMurtry said Martinez-Gomez is Temple’s likely starting pitcher in the regional opener against Odessa. He’s also one of the Leopards’ three second-team selections on the NTJCAC’s all-conference squad, joining powerful third baseman Climie and dominant reliever Baumann.

Martinez-Gomez’s performance and consistency have impressed McMurtry, who’s relied on the slender Californian to pitch deep into the first game of TC’s second conference doubleheader each week.

“We really didn’t know what we were going to get with Luis coming in from California and just getting some word-of-mouth stuff on him from somebody who saw him last year and saying, ‘Hey, this kid’s got a good arm and good stuff and he’d be a good pickup for you,’” McMurtry said. “I don’t want to say we were surprised; I think we were just pleased he came.

“His fastball’s in the upper 80s and low 90s, and sometimes 93 or 94. The big thing is he’s got some life to his pitches. He’s got movement, he’s got a great breaking ball that he commands and he goes out there and competes. That’s the biggest thing you want out of your guys, that they don’t just quit when things get tough.”

Martinez-Gomez said he’s enjoyed improving his craft under the tutelage of McMurtry, the Troy graduate who pitched eight major league seasons and in 1983 was second in voting for the National League Rookie of the Year award.

“I feel like Coach McMurtry just keeps it real. He just gives it to you straight,” Martinez-Gomez said. “He doesn’t really baby you. He tells you how it is. I really appreciate his honesty. He’s been a great guy for me.”

As for imposing first baseman Larranaga, his contributions last year as a TC freshman were limited. In 29 games and 62 at-bats, he hit .210 with two home runs and 13 RBI.

The 6-4, 215-pound Larranaga – called “Big Cat” by his teammates, perhaps as a nod to former major league slugger Andres Galarraga – entered the offseason knowing he was capable of greater production and used that as motivation to improve his skills.

Larranaga's results support his renewed commitment. Along with a .354 average and team-leading 12 homers, he’s driven in 38 runs, scored 36, drawn 26 walks, stolen six bases and posted a .472 on-base percentage.

“I work hard every single day as much as I can, and I work on the little things,” he said. “I think the difference from last year to this year is definitely a bigger mental side, maturity-wise. I just feel more confidence, and the team has helped me stay more confident in myself, too.”

Larranaga has homered twice in a game three times this season, including conference matchups with Hill and North Central Texas. He blasted a combined four homers in Temple’s final two NTJCAC series, helping him attain something he set his sights on before the season.

“At the beginning of the year I had a notecard and I put my goals on it. I actually did reach all my goals,” Larranaga said. “I wanted to have 12 home runs this year, and I got to it. Hopefully I can get a few more.”

Partially because left-handed hitter Cantrell often starts at first base against right-handed pitchers, Larranaga has only the fifth-most at-bats in TC’s lineup. However, he's still four homers ahead of Climie’s eight and has tallied 45 hits, trailing only Rucker and Climie.

According to Larranaga, sacrificing a bit of playing time and a few at-bats is part of what has made the Leopards’ team-centered approach work well.

“I feel like we always play together, and if anyone’s down at all, there’s always someone picking them up, always picking up the next guy,” said Larranaga, who led Mont Belvieu Barbers Hill to the Class 5A state championship in 2021 along with longtime teammate Malone, Temple’s slick-fielding shortstop who’s also contributed at the plate by driving in 20 runs. “We’re always happy for each other, no matter who’s doing well and performing for the team. There’s really good chemistry.”

Temple’s 2021 team won 39 games and made a run in the regional tournament but was eliminated by talent-laden McLennan, the eventual JUCO World Series champion.

With his Leopards ready to take another shot at returning to the junior college baseball mecca that is Grand Junction, McMurtry believes that their mixture of competitiveness and cohesiveness gives them a realistic opportunity to contend for the Region V crown.

“We’ve got some good personalities that mesh pretty good. The guys get along. They get on each other but in a fun way, and they take it the right way,” said the 63-year-old McMurtry, who’s completing a quarter-century as the Leopards’ head coach and his 10th year as TC’s athletic director. “They’ve been competitive as far as their attitude and the way they handle themselves and go about their business.

“They still have fun at practice – sometimes too much fun as far as I’m concerned. But they make it fun and they push each other. It has been a fun year and a good year. Coach (Frank) Kellner and Coach Train have enjoyed the guys and they recruited most of them, so they did a good job of getting guys in here who get along and work together.”

#TempleCollege #TempleCollegeLeopards #TempleCollegeBaseball #TC #TCLeopards #TCbaseball #JUCObaseball #JUCOWorldSeries #NJCAARegionV #CraigMcMurtry #SimonLarranaga #LuisMartinezGomez #CadeClimie #LanceCantrell #RaithenMalone #TrentRucker #ColbyChristian #ColeTabor #DawsonFrench #HoganHeller #TyMarthiljohni #BryanWilliams #ClayWestbrook #ChristianOkerholm #GarrettBaumann #TylerCooper #TempleBeltonSports

STRENGTH VS. STRENGTH: 19-3A squads Troy, Academy, Yoe, Lorena challenge 17-3A quartet in area round

By GREG WILLE

TempleBeltonSports.com

gwille2@hot.rr.com

District 19-3A baseball has been extremely competitive this season. Playoff teams Troy, Academy, Cameron Yoe and Lorena all were in the top 18 of the final Class 3A state rankings, and all four squads then validated that status last week by winning best-of-three series in the bi-district playoffs.

This week, 19-3A’s battle-tested clubs will put their experience to the test as they seek to advance to the Region III quarterfinals. All four teams are set for best-of-three series in the area round against 17-3A squads.

No. 11-ranked and 19-3A champion Troy (27-3) battles 17-3A third seed West (22-6) beginning at 7 p.m. Thursday at Waco Midway, site of the entire series. Game 2 is at 7 p.m. Friday, with a third game to be played at noon Saturday if necessary.

No. 16 Academy (22-7-1), the 19-3A runner-up, takes on 17-3A fourth seed Whitney (15-11-1) starting at 6 p.m. Thursday at Axtell. Game 2 begins at 4:30 p.m. Friday in Axtell, with a third game scheduled for noon Saturday at Corsicana High School if needed.

No. 17 Yoe (21-11), 19-3A’s No. 3 seed, challenges 17-3A co-champion and No. 12-ranked Maypearl (22-7) beginning at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Axtell, which will host the whole series. Game 2 is at 2 p.m. Saturday, with a third game to follow 30 minutes later if necessary.

No. 18 Lorena (22-8), 19-3A’s fourth seed, will match up with 17-3A co-champion and No. 2 Grandview (17-17-1) starting at 7 p.m. Thursday at Whitney, which will host the entire series. Game 2 is at 7 p.m. Friday, and the if-needed third game is set for 1 p.m. Saturday.

In next week’s Region III quarterfinals, the Troy-West winner will meet the Lorena-Grandview winner, while the Academy-Whitney victor will play the Yoe-Maypearl survivor.

Troy cruised past Buffalo in bi-district action, winning 11-2 and 7-1 behind starting pitchers Joseph McMurtry and Gage Richardson, respectively. Reed Ketcham, Keaton Mach and Watson Washburn led the offensive attack.

Coach Steve Sebesta’s Trojans have won 11 consecutive games since their 4-3 loss to Yoe on April 4. Troy’s only other 19-3A loss was against Academy in the district opener. The Trojans take on a West team that dominated Corsicana Mildred 8-1 and 10-0 in bi-district. West’s Trojans went 6-4 in 17-3A play, finishing three games behind Grandview and Maypearl.

Academy swept bi-district opponent Groesbeck 15-0 and 4-2 in a rematch of a 2022 first-round matchup that coach Garrett Vail’s Bumblebees swept. Pitcher Alex Hoffman dominated the series opener in Axtell, where a barrage of triples and doubles powered a balanced Academy lineup that got contributions from seniors Hoffman, Alex Lawton, Lane Ward, Kyler Smith and Lance Wille and juniors Cooper Chase, Luke Tomasek and Trey Ward.

In Game 2 at Corsicana, the Goats took a 2-0 lead in the fourth inning against starting pitcher Lawton, but the Bees responded with a three-run fourth to grab the lead. Tomasek relieved Lawton in the fifth and finished the game for the save, aided by two stellar defensive plays by junior right fielder Zane Clark.

Academy is meeting Whitney in the area round of the playoffs for the third straight season. The Wildcats swept the Bees in 2021, then came back from a series-opening 6-2 defeat to post 8-5 and 5-4 wins a year ago. This season’s Whitney squad finished fourth in 17-3A at 4-6.

Yoe went into the playoffs following back-to-back district defeats to Troy (14-2) and Academy (8-2), then lost 7-5 to Fairfield in the opening game of its bi-district series. However, the Yoemen of first-year coach Nick De La Cerda proved to be a resilient bunch.

Needing two wins to prolong its season, Yoe beat Fairfield 4-1 and 1-0 in Bryan to advance to the area round. Landen Greene was the winning pitcher in both games – as the starter in Game 2 and in relief of fellow senior Ryan Host in the finale. Host pitched five innings and delivered a walk-off run-scoring single.

The Yoemen now clash with No. 12 Maypearl, which swept Blooming Grove 5-4 and 14-0 last week. The Panthers gained 17-3A’s No. 1 seed by beating Grandview 4-1 in a first-place tiebreaker game after the teams split their district series.

Lorena pulled off a big upset – according to the state rankings, at least – last week when it knocked out No. 2 Franklin (26-3-1) in a series that went the distance. The Leopards won the first and third games by 4-3 scores, sandwiched around a 2-0 Lions victory in Game 2.

Lorena went a combined 4-0 in 19-3A against Academy and Yoe but dropped to fourth place in the district standings at 9-5 after getting swept by Troy along with losing once to fifth-place Rogers and twice to sixth-place Rockdale.

This week, the Leopards of coach Brandon Graves challenge Grandview, which needed three games to advance past Eustace. The Zebras wrapped 7-1 victories in the opener and finale around a 4-3 loss in Game 2. Grandview started slowly this season but tied Maypearl for the 17-3A championship at 9-1 before losing the tiebreaker duel for the league’s top playoff seed.

#Academy #AcademyBumblebees #CameronYoe #CameronYoeYoemen #Troy #TroyTrojans #Lorena #Baseball2023 #TXHSbaseball #BaseballPlayoffs #TempleBeltonSports