Class 2A
New Home knocks off New Deal
In a showdown on the South Plains and a trip to the state semifinals on the line, New Home was able to outlast New Deal for a thrilling 3-2 victory in 11 innings to win the UIL Region I-2A Division I championship in front of a standing room only crowd Friday afternoon at the Lubbock-Cooper Liberty Baseball Complex.
This was nip and tuck from the opening pitch to the last, with the Leopards able to prevail in the home half of the 11th. New Home was able to load the bases against New Deal pitcher Jackson Attebury. New Home’s Gabe Burkhalter was at the plate looking to play hero, however, an Atterbury pitch deflected off the glove of Emilio Rodriguez, as the ball went past Rodriguez allowing Leopard runner Avin Madrid to hustle down the line and score the game-winning run.
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New Home (27-7) is now headed to the Class 2A Division II state semifinals to take on Tom Bean (26-2) with a best-of-three series starting at 7 p.m. Thursday at Crutcher Scott Field on the campus of Abilene Christian University. Game two is set for 3 p.m. Friday with game three to follow, if necessary.
This will be the Leopards sixth appearance in the state semifinals in the last eight years. The Lions ended a tremendous season at 27-6.
Madrid was unbelievable for New Home in this one-game regional championship. On the hill, Madrid kept New Deal off balance, tossing eight innings, recording 24 outs, scattering just five hits, allowing a run with six strikeouts though he didn’t fall in the decision. Madrid was also 2-for-3 at the plate.
New Deal’s Lane Proctor gave it all he had. The hard-throwing right-hander went nine innings, giving up just one run and racked up 10 K’s. He also drove in a run.
CLASS 4A
Brock locks down Lubbock-Cooper Liberty
Brock was too much for Lubbock-Cooper Liberty to handle, as the Eagles dominant pitching shutdown the Liberty bats in a sweep of the Patriots during the Region I-4A Division II championship Friday and Saturday at Crutcher Scott Field on the campus of Abilene Christian University.
The Eagles cruised to a 9-0 win in Friday’s game one, and closed the series out with a 4-0 blanking Saturday.
Liberty ends a fantastic season at 29-12 while Brock (30-5) advances to the Division II state semifinals.
Liberty struggled at the plate in both games, tallying 12 total hits over 14 innings. Despite the losses, Will Hutson did have three hits to lead the Patriots. Brock’s Evan O’Connor was outstanding in the close out second game, throwing seven shutout innings with six strikeouts.
CLASS 3A
Iowa Park sweeps Shallowater
Shallowater wasn’t able to sustain a game one lead, and then Iowa Park dominated the close out contest to complete the sweep of the Mustangs and win the Region I-3A Division I championship that took place Wednesday and Saturday at Angelo State University’s Foster Field.
Iowa Park was able to rally back for a 9-4 win in Wednesday’s game one, and then took the outright series sweep with a 6-2 victory Saturday.
Shallowater ends a stellar season 33-5-1 while the Hawks (33-4) move on to the Division I state semifinals.
The Mustangs led 4-1 in game one before Iowa Park posted five runs to take control in the bottom of the fourth and never look back. Shallowater’s Gerrit Boschma did have two RBIs in the game. In Saturday’s matchup, Manning Mitchell was 3-for-3 for the Mustangs.