LOCKED IN: Longhorns hammer Hamlin to take series lead

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LOCKED IN: Longhorns hammer Hamlin to take series lead

May 30

13:43 2025

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Gordon one win from playing for state championship

By DAVID MAY | Special to Mineral Wells Area News

GRAHAM – The Gordon Longhorns exploded for seven runs in the top of the first and never looked back, blowing past the Hamlin Pied Pipers, 14-1, on Thursday to take a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three state semifinals series.

That leaves the ‘Horns (22-5) needing one win Saturday to advance to the Class 1A state finals.

Gordon had seven hits in the contest. They collected five of them in the first inning – all singles. Maddox Stewart led off with a hit, followed by an Aiden Shank walk. Evan Jackson was hit by a pitch to load the bags with one out. Landon McDonald struck an RBI hit for the first run.

Hudson Campbell knocked in two more with a line drive into left. Corvin Seymour also stroked a 2-RBI hit to make it 5-0 Gordon. They weren’t done quite yet. With two outs, Noah Kostiha became the second hit batter of the inning. Up for a second time, Stewart knocked in a run with his second single. The seventh and final run of the frame scored when Shank was hit by a pitch.

Shank was stellar on the hill. The starter cruised through four innings of work, giving up no runs on one hit while fanning four Pipers. He worked around four walks. Stryker Reed pitched the fifth and final inning, allowing one run.

Gordon added to their early lead in the top of the third inning. Brayden Walters and Seymour led off with consecutive walks. Walters stole third and scored on Kostiha’s groundout. A Hamlin two-out infield error off Shank’s bat scored Seymour to make it 9-0.

The Longhorns scored five runs on one hit in the top of the fifth. An error scored one run. Jackson singled scoring two more runs. Kaden Crowe and Campbell each hit into run-scoring fielder’s choices.

The Pipers used five pitchers in the mercy-rule shortened game. Starter Ian Gruben didn’t make it out of the first inning, allowing seven earned runs. Hamlin’s pitchers fanned just three ‘Horns hitters while issuing eight walks. The Pipers defense committed three errors.

The series now shifts to Abilene Christian University for a 2 p.m. start Saturday. Game three, if necessary, will follow. On the line is a trip to Round Rock to play Brookeland or Fayetteville on June 7 for the Class 1A championship.