Mineral Wells Area News

Rams, ‘Horns in regional semifinal action

By DAVID MAY | Special to Mineral Wells Area News

High school baseball plays on in Palo Pinto County. Mineral Wells and Gordon are just steps away from a trip to the state finals.

But first things first.

The Class 1A Longhorns have a best-of-three regional semifinals series beginning Wednesday night against the Oglesby Tigers. Wednesday’s game has a scheduled 6:30 p.m. first pitch at Cleburne High School. Game Two is the same time, same place on Friday. A third game, if necessary, is set for noon Saturday in Cleburne.

Playing in Region 1, the Gordon-Oglesby winner will advance to the regional finals to play the winner of the Bryson and Perrin-Whitt series. 

Gordon is 18-4 on the year after going undefeated in District 13-1A. The ‘Horns have yet to lose a game in the post-season, sweeping Jonesboro and Blum. The Tigers (19-7) defeated Bluff Dale then split two games with Abbott before winning the series in the third game. Oglesby finished second in District 14-1A.

Meanwhile, Mineral Wells will once again play in a one-game, winner-take-all Region 1 semifinal game Friday facing Canyon West Plains. Game time is 5 p.m. at Colorado City High School.

The winner will advance to the regional finals to take on the winner of the Seminole-Estacado series.

Expect Mineral Wells (19-10-1) to start its senior ace Holden Hering. The Texas Tech signee has been dominant in his recent outings, while being backed on the mound by capable arms out of the pen. In the Rams’ last outing, Hering and William Hollifield combined for a 6-0 shutout of Springtown in the area championship round.

West Plains is 26-6-1 on the year. The winners of District 4-1A with an 11-1 mark, the Wolves have advanced with best-of-three series wins against Andrews and Mountain View.