Mustangs wallop Diboll to take bidistrict series
Published 3:31 pm Saturday, May 6, 2017
By Ronnie Hughes
Leader Correspondent
JASPER — Chad Dallas pitched a complete-game shutout for the West Orange-Stark Mustangs in Game Two of the Class 4A region III bidistrict round against the Diboll Lumberjacks as the Mustangs routed Diboll 15-0 to advance to the area round of the playoffs next week.
The Mustangs (23-3), District 22-4A champions, will move on to face Tarkington in the area round.
Dallas tossed five strikeouts, but it was the men behind him making stellar plays to lead the Mustangs to a big win.
Ryan Ragsdale went 3-for-3 from the plate with an RBI and one run scored to pace the Mustang arsenal.
Kaleb Ramsey started the scoring in the top of the second. He ripped a shot past second base to score two runs to give the Mustangs a 2-0 advantage after two complete innings. The Lumberjacks pitched their ace in Game One and the Mustangs made it look like batting practice in Game Two with every Mustang batter notching a hit.
After a quick bottom half of the inning the Mustangs really got the bats heated up in the top of the third. BB Tezeno led off with a walk to get things started before KJ Miller launched a deep ball off the left field wall that allowed the speedster, Tezeno, to score all the way from first base.
Ragsdale approached the plate following a Jack Dallas fly out. He hit a shot that seemed to be a replay of Miller’s shot off the left field wall. Miller cruised around the bases to score and push the lead to 4-0.
Chad Dallas had his fair share of hits, but not so much with his bat. He got hit by his second pitch of the day to take a free base which put runners on first and second. Tre’ Bernard hit an RBI stand up double that scored Ragsdale to keep the Mustang momentum going with just one out.
Diboll would bring in Tyler Webb to pitch hoping to stop the bleeding with the Mustangs up 5-0. Unfortunately for the Lumberjacks, Te’Ron Brown, again brought his ‘A’ game to the plate. After hitting an RBI double in Game One, he again hit a long shot to deep left on the first pitch from Webb that scored two runs to cap the scoring in the third. The Mustangs boasted a 7-0 lead as the Lumberjacks had no answer for Mustang bats.
Chad Dallas made quick work in the bottom of the third striking out two of three batters for a three-up-three-down inning.
Already with a commanding lead the Mustang offense was ushered back to the plate. Tezeno led off the six-run inning with a walk followed by a Miller fly out to center that advanced Tezeno to third base. Jack Dallas stepped to the plate with one out and smacked a shot to left field that brought home Tezeno with Ragsdale following with a single to put two runners on the bag.
Chad Dallas avoided being hit by another pitch, but would take first base after four straight balls. The Mustangs had the bases loaded with Bernard at the plate and he slipped a hard shot past the shortstop to score both Jack and Ragsdale. Brown picked up his third RBI of the day with a single that scored Ross who was pinch running for Chad Dallas. The Mustangs were in total control, 11-0, after four complete.
Jack Dallas showed his skills on defense in the bottom of the fourth. He made a diving grab on a hard shot from Kyle Guarvara to throw him out at first. Two batters later he made a diving catch to end the inning that ignited the onlooking Mustang fans.
The Mustangs tacked on four more runs in the top of the fifth inning with Blake Robinson leading off with a single down the third base line. Miller singled to bring home Tezeno who reached base via a fielders choice which caught Robinson out at second. Chad Dallas zipped a shot past first base to score Miller with Bernard doubling to bring home Jack Dallas who reached on an errant throw. Ross scored the final run of the evening when he slid home after a wild pitch.
Diboll had no fight left as the Mustangs easily handled the final three outs in just four batters.