Bobcats take out New Waverly to advance to regional quarters
Published 5:26 pm Saturday, May 11, 2019
PORT NECHES – After battling a three-hour weather delay, the Orangefield Bobcats bolted their way to the Class 3A Region III quarterfinals by nipping the New Waverly Bulldogs 8-6 in Game Two of their area round series Saturday at PN-G High School.
The Bobcats (20-10) nabbed a 5-1 Game One victory over the Bulldogs (19-10) at Sam Houston State on Friday night.
Orangefield will now move on to face Pollok Central in the regional quarters. Pollok Central knocked out Van Vleck in two games, 5-2 and 6-0.
The Bobcats utilized a big six-run fourth inning and then held off New Waverly in Game Two.
The Bulldogs snagged a pair of runs in the top of the first inning off Bobcat starter Landen Tomlinson.
Brennan Harrell slapped a RBI single to score Konway Baird, who had singled before and they added another run on a sacrifice fly by Eric Cheney.
The Bobcats scratched in a run in the bottom of the third.
Kadeon Evans reached on an error and Mason Gonzales, who had three hits on the day, followed with a booming double to right field. Gunner Jones then brought in a run with a sacrifice fly.
The Bobcats exploded in the bottom of the fourth to chase New Waverly starter Jacob Kutchey as they put together five hits in the frame.
Johnny Armstrong got it going with a leadoff walk. Kent Michael and Evans loaded the bases with back-to-back infield singles. Gonzales continued with his hot stick as he drove in Armstrong with a single up the middle to tie the game up.
Brennan Harrell replaced Kutchey on the mound and then it snowballed on the Bulldogs. Gunner Jones got drilled by a pitch with the bases loaded as Michael trotted in to score. Blake Bradley brought Evans in with a sacrifice fly to left to make it 4-2. Gonzales was able to make it home as Tomlinson scored him with a RBI single to left. Tyler Washington made it 6-2 with a RBI bunt single and Kaiden DuBose upped it to 7-2 with a sacrifice bunt.
Kutchey went four innings for the Bulldogs, allowing four hits while walking five and hitting two batters and he had no strikeouts.
The Bulldogs struck in the top of the fifth inning, picking up a pair of runs to trim it to 7-4.
Konway Baird drew a one-out walk and Harrell followed with a single over second. Baird raced in to score off a Eric Cheney single up the middle.
Johhny Armstrong replaced Tomlinson on the Bobcat hill. Tomlinson worked 4 1/3 innings, allowing four hits while striking out five and walking six.
The Bobcats added a run in the bottom of the fifth. Michael reached after getting hit by a pitch and moved to second on a Evans’ groundout. Gonzales had a two-out single to left and the Bobcats ended up scoring on a double steal to go up 8-4.
New Waverly trimmed it to 8-6 in the top of the sixth.
Chase Strange roped a one-out single and Kutchey followed with a single up the middle. Seth Adams drew a walk to load the bases. Baird brought home strange with a RBI groundout and Kutchey darted home on a wild pitch.
Armstrong worked 1 2/3 innings of relief while Evans came into toss the seventh.
Both teams finished with seven hits.