Playoff baseball roundup: South Grand Prairie walks off to advance; Lovejoy wins a Game 3 thriller

GRAND PRAIRIE — Christian Fernandez’ objective was simply to hit the ball up the middle.

His direction was off a few degrees, but no one in the South Grand Prairie dugout was complaining when the center fielder sent the ball over the fence in left-center field for a three-run home run and a walk-off 6-3 victory over Lake Highlands Saturday at Warrior Field.

The victory coupled with a 7-2 win on Friday night gave South Grand Prairie a sweep of the Class 6A Region I bi-district playoff series.

Fernandez was mobbed by back-slapping teammates after touching home plate.

“The best feeling in the world,” said Fernandez, who finished with four RBIs.

It was the second homer of the season for the junior who was only recently was cleared to play after being struck on the helmet by a pitch.

“Sometimes you need a little luck,” said South Grand Prairie coach Art Senato. “You still have to take advantage and Christian did that.”

South Grand Prairie (23-8), the runner-up in District 8-6A, advances to the area playoff round for the third time in the last four seasons and will face Plano.

Lake Highlands (21-12-1), which won nine straight games to grab the third seed from District 7-6A, twice came from behind to tie in the late innings.

Hayden Roop started the winning rally in the bottom of the seventh by reaching on a throwing error after a strikeout. With two out RiShon Pearl drew a walk setting up Fernandez who came through in a similar two-out situation in the fifth inning with an RBI single for a 3-2 lead.

Winning pitcher Bryce Chambers (7-3) worked a complete game as did left-hander Ethan Racine for Lake Highlands. Chambers, a junior, helped his cause with an acrobatic catch of a windblown pop-up to save a run in the top of the seventh.

Consecutive doubles by Trey Yates and Asher Thompson in the second inning staked Lake Highlands to a 1-0 lead.

Jeremiah Darrough answered with a two-run, two-out single in the bottom of the inning to put the hosts in front 2-1.

Luciano Terilli tied it 2-2 with a sacrifice fly in the fifth only to have South Grand Prairie regain the lead in the bottom of the inning.

Lake Highlands tied it again in seventh when sophomore Wesley Scott, after a leadoff double, scored from third on a wild pitch.

“These guys fought back like they have all year,” said Lake Highlands coach Andy Parker. The Wildcats will return four starters next season.

— Randy Jennings

In other bi-district baseball playoff games:

Keller 8, Weatherford 2: A two-run double apiece by Clayton Thomas and Todd Baffa sparked a five-run first inning for Keller, which completed a two-game sweep of a Class 6A area series at Weatherford. Michael Dattalo had three hits and two RBIs while Gray Rowlett and Trey Orman had two hits apiece for Keller (26-4), the top-ranked team in The Dallas Morning News’ Class 6A area poll.

Robert Cranz struck out 14 batters over six innings for the win, allowing one earned run, four hits and three walks. Trace Holcomb drove in a run for Weatherford.

Rockwall-Heath 14-7, Rowlett 4-0: Baylor Baumann threw a one-hit shutout to lead Rockwall-Heath in the third and deciding game of a Class 6A bi-district playoff series at Wylie East. Earlier in the day in Game 2, Kaston Means had three hits, including a homer, and drove in four runs as Rockwall-Heath rolled to even the series at one game apiece.

In Game 3, Baumann had three strikeouts with five walks. Karson Krowka hit a solo homer in the first inning for the only run Rockwall-Heath (28-8-1) – the No. 2-ranked team in The News’ Class 6A area poll – would need. Zach Rike would add a three-run homer in the third.

In Game 2, Rockwall-Heath scored nine runs in the fourth, including a three-run triple by Caleb Hoover. Kevin Bazzell had three hits for Rockwall-Heath, including two doubles. Josh Hoover threw five innings for the win.

Jesuit 14, Arlington 0 (5): Jake Storey threw a one-hit shutout as Jesuit cruised to finish a two-game sweep of Class 6A bi-district series at Jesuit. Storey had five strikeouts.

Tommy Delaney was 3 for 3 at the plate for Jesuit (32-4), the No. 4-ranked team in The News’ 6A area poll – with a two-run triple as part of a seven-run fourth inning. Myles Tucker added two hits – a double and a triple – with three RBIs for Jesuit.

Rockwall 10, Garland Naaman Forest 8: A sacrifice fly apiece by Andrew Tellia and Tate Sloan capped a four-run sixth inning as Rockwall rallied to complete a two-game sweep of a Class 6A bi-district series at Rockwall. Brayden Randle added a RBI double for Rockwall in the frame.

Barrett Riebock had a grand slam as part of a six-run second inning for Rockwall (24-11-1), ranked No. 6 in The News’ Class 6A area poll. Naaman Forest scored six runs in the top of the fourth inning and two in the sixth, including an RBI single by Jason Flores.

Holden Blackwell pitched two innings in relief for the win, striking out four. Kenneth Haynes and Jaden Flores had two hits apiece for Naaman Forest.

Waxahachie 4, Harker Heights 0: Jared Thomas threw a one-hitter as Waxahachie blanked Harker Heights to complete a two-game sweep of a Class 6A bi-district series at Waxahachie. Thomas had eight strikeouts while allowing two walks.

Xavien Thompson led off the first inning with a home run for the only run Waxahachie (25-8) – ranked No. 8 in The News’ Class 6A area poll – would need. Casey Kelly added a double for Waxahachie. Tanner Wells had the lone hit for Harker Heights on a first-inning single.

Saginaw Boswell 8-5, Northwest Eaton 7-9: A two-run homer by Xavier Casserilla anchored a five-run sixth inning as Eaton pulled away to take the third and deciding game of a Class 6A bi-district series at Eaton. In Game 2, a Jordan DeHoyos sacrifice fly in the sixth inning drove in the eventual game-winning run as Boswell held on.

In Game 3, Matthew Holt and Landon Winningham also had homers for Eaton (26-8), the No. 9-ranked team in The News’ Class 6A area poll. Holt had three hits while Casserilla pitched six innings for the win, striking out seven. Sawyer Farr had two hits including a homer for Boswell (23-12-3).

In Game 2, Wyatt Fielding had three hits for Boswell. Brady Miller pitched five inning for the win with Ty Adams not allowing an earned run for a save. Casserilla had two hits and two RBIs with a double.

Lovejoy 3, Frisco Reedy 2: A no-out, RBI single to left by Aidan Smith in the bottom of the seventh drove in the winning run as Lovejoy won a Game 3 thriller to win a Class 5A bi-district series two games to one at Prosper Rock Hill. Smith was set up by a single by Kolby Branch and a double by Trent Rucker.

Smith, Branch and Sam Finn had two hits apiece for Lovejoy (27-8), the No. 3 ranked team in The News’ Class 5A/Others area poll, with Smith driving in two runs. Dylan Collins pitched 1 2/3 innings in relief for the win. Rucker three 5 1/3 innings, striking out six while allowing one earned run, two hits and three walks.

No. 9-ranked Reedy (22-11-1) tied the game at 2-2 in the sixth inning on an error of a Cole Hebel grounder. Hebel drove in both Reedy runs while Jordan Viars had a triple.

Ennis 5, North Forney 2: Ennis scored three runs in the third, built a 5-0 lead and held on to win the third and deciding game and complete a Class 5A bi-district series upset of District 13-5A champion North Forney in Irving. Luke Regas and Eric Stanley had a RBI single apiece for Ennis in the third.

Regas had three hits while Ryan Diaz and Ryan Todd had two hits apiece for Ennis. Nick Novy pitched six shutout innings for the win with six strikeouts while Jeremiah Sanchez picked up a one-out save after North Forney scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning.

Cole Cather drove in both runs for North Forney (29-5-1), ranked No. 4 in The News’ Class 5A/Others area poll, with a two-out homer in the seventh inning. Cather finished 3 for 3 at the plate. Juan Cantua added a double for North Forney.

Highland Park 7-8, Midlothian 4-4: Highland Park rallied from a 4-0 deficit, scoring four runs in the sixth inning on a Patrick Turner grand slam as Highland Park took the third and deciding game of a Class 5A bi-district series at Midlothian. Earlier in the day in Game 2, Trey Brimmage got a pinch-hit, three-run homer in the sixth inning to give Highland Park a 7-2 lead and the Scots held on.

Highland Park scored four runs in the fifth inning of Game 3, capped by a RBI single by Braden Jirovec, who had two hits. Ben Bailey pitched three shutout innings, striking out five. Kyzer Harrington had two hits with a double and three RBIs for Midlothian.

Jack Curtis had a two-run homer in the second inning of Game 2. Curtis, Josh Bowers and Hunter Kraus had two hits apiece for Highland Park. Calvin Williams pitched six innings for the win while Mac Moreland pitched a scoreless seventh inning for a save. Brady Redmon and Justin Glass drove in two runs apiece for Midlothian.

Celina 7, Carrollton Ranchview 0: Noah Bentley struck out 15 batters in a complete-game shutout as Celina completed a two-game sweep of Ranchview in a Class 4A bi-district series at Celina. Bentley (7-1) allowed four hits and three walks.

A two-run single by Zach Ververka sparked a three-run fourth inning for Celina (26-7), ranked No. 7 in The News’ Class 5A/Others area poll. Ververka, Ethan Elliott and Jackson Rooker had two hits apiece for Celina while R.J. Ruais had a solo homer in the sixth. Braylen Robertson and Nico Shelton had two hits apiece for Ranchview.

Molina 7-4, W.T. White 3-5: Keaton Jones hit a two-out, two-run single in the bottom of the ninth to drive home the winning runs as W.T. White won the third and deciding game of a Class 5A bi-district series in dramatic fashion at Molina. In Game 2, Molina scored five runs in the third inning to take a 7-0 lead and coasted to the win.

In Game 3, Mark Colunga hit an RBI double to put Molina ahead 4-3 in the top of the ninth. Jones and Korbin Dennis had two hits apiece for W.T. White while Martin Colunga and Ernesto Verdin had two hits each for Molina. Dennis pitched three innings in relief for the win after starter Gaston Galvan went six innings, striking out eight.

In Game 2, Ernesto Verdin pitched a complete game for the win, striking out nine while allowing no earned runs, one hit and four walks. Jose Robledo and John Ramos had a RBI single apiece in the third inning. Mike Reyes had three hits while Ramos had two RBIs for Molina.

Jordan Gonzalez had the lone hit for W.T. White.

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