Published: May 09, 2008 09:18 pm            

Mustangs end great LC-M season

MONT BELVIEU — The Little Cypress-Mauriceville Bears piled up more hits than Lamar Consolidated Friday night in Game Two of their best-of-three Class 4A Region III playoff series against the Mustangs but it wasn’t quite enough.

The Mustangs pounded out eight hits and took advantage of eight walks and used a big four-run first inning to start the game as Lamar Consolidated went on to post a 7-5 victory to move on to the Region III quarterfinals against Port Neches-Groves, which finished off a sweep of Katy Seven Lakes Friday.

The Bears (24-10) pounded out 12 hits against Mustang pitching but left nine runners on base.

The Mustangs (24-5) struck quick in the top of the first.

Eli Sepulveda drew a leadoff walk from Bear starter Dallas Brown, who worked 2 2/3 innings, allowing three hits while walking four. Cody Abraham connected on a single and Randall Grichuck walked to load the bases.

Cody Robinson came up big, ripping a three-run double down the rightfield line. Robinson wound up on third on the play and he ended up making it 4-0 when he scored off a Dan Hernandez RBI groundout to short.

The Bears got right back in it with three big runs in the bottom of the second.

Matt Johnson crushed a double, went to third on a Wade Estes groundout and scored off a Ben Jones single to left. Phillip Richard followed with an infield single and Tim Barry made Mustang starter Cameron Blinka pay with a two-run triple to cut the margin to 4-3.

The Mustangs grabbed two runs in the top of the third.

With two outs, Robinson drew a walk, swiped second, went to third on a balk and scored off a Bear error at first on a Hernandez grounder. After Hernandez swiped second Raul Renavate scored him with a sharp single down the third-base line to make it 6-3. Matt Johnson then replaced Brown on the LC-M hill and struck out Ryan Haas.

LC-M fought right back in the bottom of the frame.

With one out Stefan Leger, who was 2-for-4, launched a deep double off the wall and Stefan Cloeren belted a single to center. With two outs, courtesy runner Joseph Viator was able to dart in from third after a wild Blinka pitch to cut the margin to 6-4.

Lamar Consolidated tacked on a run in a big way in the top of the sixth to go up 7-4 when Ryan Haas took a Johnson offering deep for a solo home run.

The Bears got right back in it with a run in the bottom of the sixth as they touched Blinka for three hits.

With one out, Tim Barry, who was 2-for-4, laced a single past the mound and with two outs Chad Richard, who went 2-for-4, slapped a single to left. Leger followed with a deep shot to center that brought home Barry but Leger got thrown out at second trying to stretch it into a double as Blinka got out of the jam holding the 7-5 edge.

Lamar Consolidated ace Brady Rogers, who got the 10-2 win in Game One, hurled the final inning for the Mustangs. Blinka went six frames, scattering 11 hits while striking out six and walking none.

Johnson, who finished a tremendous 3-for-4 at the plate, touched him for a one-out double but Rogers got out of the threat by fanning Wade Estes and getting Ben Jones to fly out.

        

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