Mineral Wells Area News

‘Horns will face Perrin Pirates to determine which team advances to state championship round

By DAVID MAY | Special to Mineral Wells Area News

CLEBURNE – The regional semifinals series between Gordon and Oglesby came down to a decisive third game Saturday. Gordon came away with an impressive 11-7 win.

After losing in the area round last season, the ‘Horns (19-5) are now on a deep post-season run. They advance to the region finals this week and will face the Perrin Pirates with a trip to the state championship round on the line.

After Gordon took a 1-0 series lead on Wednesday, the ‘Horns and Tigers returned to Cleburne High School on Saturday to continue their best-of-three regional series. It wasn’t easy, nor was it quick. The teams endured an 11-hour day thanks to a lengthy rain delay.

Oglesby started the day winning Game Two by a 4-3 margin. The game was tied 3-3 going to the seventh inning. A pair of walks and two errors allowed the Tigers to take the lead in the top half of the inning. The ‘Horns managed a baserunner in the bottom of the inning, but the Tigers secured the win.

Game Three saw both teams taking advantage of the others’ gifts and miscues. Both teams surrendered eight walks and committed two errors. Three of the Tigers’ seven runs were earned, while seven of Gordon’s 11 runs were earned. The ‘Horns scored their runs on just seven hits.

Stryker Reed led the Gordon offense as the junior centerfielder went 2-for-3 with a walk at the plate, knocking in three runs.

Two big innings carried Gordon – a four-run third and then a five-run fifth that put the ‘Horns ahead 11-4 with two innings to play. The Tigers fought to the end, scoring three times in their final two frames.

Playing as the visitors, Gordon scored in the first on a dropped third strike, scoring Aiden Shank. Oglesby tied it with a run in the home half of the first.

The fourth inning opened with Corvin Seymour drawing a walk. He stole second and then made it to third on a passed ball before Shank walked. Reed’s line drive to right scored Seymour and Shank to make it 3-1. Reed stole second and made it to third on a wild pitch. Evan Jackson knocked Reed home with a single. Landon McDonald struck a two-out double, setting up Jackson’s score on a passed ball to cap the ‘Horns four-run inning.

Gordon added a fourth-inning run. Seymour scored again thanks to a two-out sacrifice fly off Reed’s bat to hand Gordon a 6-1 lead.

Oglesby put up three runs in the bottom of the fourth to narrow Gordon’s lead to two runs.

The ‘Horns offense got busy again in the fifth. Noah Kostiha led off with a single and made it to third as Brayden Walters reached on a fielder’s choice. A balk sent Kostiha home. Hudson Campbell’s single allowed Walters to touch home to make it 8-4 in Gordon’s favor. Campbell swiped second ahead of walks issued to Seymour and Maddox Stewart to load the bases. Campbell scored on a fielder’s choice. Reed walked again to load the bags. Jackson’s two-out grounder resulted in an error that scored Seymour and Shank to make it 11-4.

Gatlin Simmons earned the win for Gordon. He gave up three hits and four runs (one earned) over five innings, striking out three and walking five. Walters, Reed and Jackson each pitched in relief.

Holdyn Goff took the loss for Oglesby. The hurler went three innings, allowing five runs (three earned) on three hits, while striking out three and walking three. 

Gordon’s regional final foe, Perrin, advanced with a single-game Region 2 series win over Bryson, 5-0. The Pirates’ Ryan Richerson notched a complete-game pitching performance. Perrin benefited early from Bryson errors, scoring twice in the first, twice in the third and once in the fifth.