Taylor got back in the win column on Friday, downing Morton Ranch 10-3 in a strong offensive showing from the Mustangs. Taylor improved to 14-9-1 this year and 2-5 in district play.

The Mustangs got a great outing from Layne Bishop on the mound, starting and going six innings while allowing just two earned runs on three hits, striking out five and walking one in the process, while Chase Marshall led Taylor with four RBIs.

Marshall opened the scoring for Taylor in the third inning, hitting a single to drive in two and Adam Fitzgerald followed that up with an RBI single before Bishop drove in another with a single of his own.

Brandon Hasselbring got Morton Ranch back into the game in the fourth inning by hitting an RBI single and Christopher Soto drove in another run on a single to make things 4-2 after four innings.

Marshall opened things up in the fifth inning though, hitting a two-run home run, and Kenny Ingram brought in another in the sixth when he hit a sacrifice grounder. Morton Ranch got a run back in the sixth on a sacrifice fly, but Taylor’s offense closed things out with the seventh, as Bishop brought a run in on a grounder and two more runs scored on a passed ball. Dylan Weaver came in to close things out on the mound, pitching a clean bottom half of the seventh with two strikeouts to clinch the win.

Zane Heiliger started on the mound for Morton Ranch and went six innings, allowing three earned runs on 11 hits while striking out four and walking one. The loss dropped the Mavericks to 6-14-1 overall and 1-8 in district play.

Cinco survives tight game with Jordan

Cinco Ranch was pushed up to its limits but was able to keep its lead in District 19-6A by beating the Warriors 4-3 and improving to 20-3 overall and 8-1 in district play.

Cinco Ranch overcame early struggles in the game to win. Charlie Atkinson started on the mound for the Cougars and went two innings, allowing two earned runs on three hits while striking out three and walking one. He was relieved by Thomas Guy who threw four innings of scoreless ball before Logan Sosolik closed things out with one inning where he did not allow a hit.

The Cougars jumped ahead in the first inning when they got a run on a wild pitch before Connor Ficarra grounded into a double play but brought another run home.

Ryan Miller brought things back to a one-run game in the bottom of the first before Jordan tied the game on a fielders choice and JD Ortigoza hit a sacrifice grounder, giving Jordan a 3-2 lead after two innings.

Cinco was unable to answer back until the seventh inning, as the Cougars found their bats with the game on the line. The Cougars tied the game on a Lucas Franco double and Ficarra drew a bases loaded walk to put Cinco Ranch back ahead before clinching the game in the bottom of the seventh.

Davis Duhon started on the mound for Jordan and went five innings, allowing two earned runs on three hits while striking out one and walking five. Jordan fell to 8-9 overall and 3-4 in district with the loss.

Katy run rules Paetow behind Lucas shutout

Katy kept pace with the pack on Friday, run ruling Paetow 13-0 in a game where pitching and offense were both strong from start to finish.

Lucas Moore started on the mound and completed the shutout for Katy, going six innings and allowing just three hits while striking out six and walking three in the win.

The Tigers jumped ahead early and never looked back. Cole Kasse drove in a run on a triple in the first inning and Sutton Hull followed that with a two-run home run to put Katy up 3-0. Katy got two more in the third inning when Josh Dunayczan hit a two-run single. Kasse drove in another run in the fourth inning and AJ Atkinson brought in another in the fifth on an RBI single. The Tigers kept things going in the sixth, as Kasse drove in a run on a single and Graham Laxton brought in two more when he hit a triple, followed by Reese Ruderman hitting a one-run double, Andrew Hilton hit a sacrifice fly and Aiden Barrientes grounded into a fielders choice, increasing the Katy lead to 13-0 before Moore pitched a clean bottom of the sixth to seal the win.

Seven Lakes shuts down Mayde Creek

Seven Lakes had a balanced day on Friday, beating Mayde Creek 8-1 to move to 14-7 on the year and 5-2 in district play.

Nathan Johnson started on the mound for Seven Lakes and went two innings, allowing three hits and striking out one but now allowing a run before five innings of one run ball in relief secured the win.

The Spartans went ahead in the first inning when Max Greathouse drove in two runs with a single. Tyler Berra drove in another run on a sacrifice grounder in the third inning before another run came across on an error to increase Seven Lakes lead to 4-0. Mayde Creek got a run back in the fourth inning when Brandon Lumkins hit an RBI double. But Seven Lakes answered back in the sixth inning, getting a run on a bases loaded walk and a balk before Jake Steffes drove in a run on a single before getting their eighth run from a passed ball. Seven Lakes was able to not allow anything the rest of the way to seal the win.

Lumkins got the start on the mound for Mayde Creek and went five innings for the Rams, allowing four runs on five hits while striking out two and walking four. The Rams fell to 6-14-1 on the year and 1-8 in district play with the loss.

Tuesday

Tompkins shuts out Taylor

Tompkins stayed within a game of first place in District 19-6A with a big win on Tuesday, beating Taylor 7-0 and improving to 14-6-1 on the year and 6-2 in district play.

It was a strong day on the mound from Hudson Melearts, who pitched 6.1 innings of shutout ball and only allowed two hits, striking out four and walking three to earn the win, while Ivan Gomez led the Falcons with two RBIs.

Tompkins was able to take the lead early, as Landon West hit a sacrifice grounder in the first inning to get the Falcons on the board. Tompkins added on in the third inning, scoring two runs on two different wild pitches.

It stayed that way until the bottom of the sixth, when the Tompkins bats really heated up.

Drew Markle hit a double to drive in a run before Ivan Gomez drove in another with a single of his own, Gavin Brewer then hit a sacrifice fly to make it 7-0 Tompkins.  The Falcons then only allowed one runner in the bottom of the seventh as they secured the win.

Bryce Krenek started on the mound and went three innings for Taylor in the loss, allowing three earned runs on one hit while striking out one and walking seven. Taylor fell to 13-9-1 on the year and 1-5 in district with the loss.

Koger leads Katy past Jordan

Caleb Koger put on a great pitching display Tuesday to lead Katy past Jordan, 5-1, as the Tigers won their sixth straight district game and moved to 16-4-3 overall and 6-2 in district play this season.

Koger went six innings on the mound and gave up just one run in the win off of five hits, striking out six and walking three.

Katy took the lead in the second inning off of a wild pitch and things stayed that way all the way until the sixth inning, when the Tigers got two more runs on two wild pitches before Reese Ruderman hit a single, driving in a fourth run for Katy. Monty Bognar got one run back for Jordan in the seventh on an RBI single but that was all the Warriors could muster.

Bognar started the game on the mound for Jordan as well and went 5.1 innings, allowing three earned runs on three hits while striking out four and walking three. Jordan fell to 8-8 overall and 3-3 in district with the loss.

 Cinco stays atop district with win over Mayde Creek

Cinco Ranch kept its one-game lead over the pack in district with a 14-2 win over Mayde Creek, as the Cougars offense continued its strong season behind Torin Green, who had three RBIs, while four players each had two RBIs for the Cougars in the win.

It was a balanced and consistent day for Cinco, as they scored at least two runs in every inning, starting in the first when Gavin Rutherford drove in the first run of the game on a sacrifice fly followed by Connor Ficarra hitting a sacrifice fly to bring another run home.

The Cougars kept it going in the second inning, getting a run off a wild pitch and a passed ball before Rainer Castillo hit an RBI double and Paul Acosta drove in another run on a double in the third to make things 6-0.

The Rams got both of their runs in the third inning, one off of a bases loaded walk and another on an AJ Robinson sacrifice grounder, but Cinco answered back in the top of the fourth, as Logan Sosolik drove in a run on a triple and Green followed that up with a single to bring Sosolik home. DeYoung brought in another run in the fifth on a double and Cinco added another on a wild pitch from Mayde Creek before the Cougars drew a bases loaded walk to bring things to 11-2.

Ethan Muniz made it a ten run game in the sixth with a sacrifice fly in the sixth inning and Cinco got two more on an error and a bases loaded walk to bring the lead to 12 runs before having a strong bottom half of the sixth to close the game out.  

Brayden Hodge started on the mound for Cinco and went three innings, allowing two earned runs on three hits while striking out three and walking one, earning the win.

Marcus Rodriguez got the start on the mound for Mayde Creek and went four innings, allowing seven earned runs on eight hits while striking out two and walking three. The Rams fell to 6-13-1 overall and 1-7 in district play with the loss.

Seven Lakes offense surges in win over Morton Ranch

Seven Lakes had a huge day offensively on Tuesday to overcome Morton Ranch for a 10-6 win, moving to 13-7 on the year and 4-2 in district play in the process, as the Spartans moved into fourth place in district with the win.

Lawson Moreno had a strong day on the mound for the Spartans, starting and lasting four innings, allowing one earned run on two hits while striking out five and walking three to earn the win.

Seven Lakes got ahead early, as Jake Steffes hit a two-run single in the first inning followed up by a sacrifice fly by Max Greathouse and another run off an error as they went up 4-0 after the top of the first.

The Spartans kept things going as well scoring two more runs on the second off an error and a Miguel Acosta single, and they scored twice more in the third, with Taylor Tiedt driving in a run on a single and Acosta following that up with another RBI single.

Morton Ranch answered back in the fourth inning. Brandon Hasselbring hit an RBI single and they got another on a bases loaded walk, but Seven Lakes put things away in the sixth, as Greathouse drove in a run on a bunt single and Ethan Hernandez made things 10-4 by bringing in a run with a single of his own. Morton Ranch got two more runs in the seventh on a two-run double from Kalon Baker, but that was all they could muster as Seven Lakes came away with the win.

Hassebring got the start on the mound for Morton Ranch, allowing four earned runs on eight hits while striking out one and walking three over 2.1 innings of work. The Mavericks fell to 4-17 overall and 1-7 in district play with the loss.