Hallsville Captures Opener of Regional Championship Series With Mansfield Legacy

MESQUITE – A three-run third inning was all Hallsville needed offensively Thursday night to grab a 1-0 series lead against Mansfield Legacy in their Class 4A Region II championship series at Tillery Field.

With a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the sixth, Logan Bailey came on in relief and did the rest for Hallsville.

Bailey struck out the final two outs in the bottom of the sixth with two runners on and recorded the final three outs in succession after a leadoff single put the tying run on third base for Legacy.

The series resumes at 1 p.m. Saturday in Mesquite.

Colton Oberthier had an RBI base knock, followed by a sacrifice fly from Austin Blakeley for Hallsville in the third inning. Jacob Walker scored on an error on a pickoff attempt to give the Bobcats a 3-0 lead.

Hallsville starter Connor Reich struck out seven and scattered a pair of hits around five walks and a hit batter in five innings of work. He finished with 122 pitches in the win. Legacy’s first hit loaded the bases in the fourth inning before Aaron Johns worked a bases-loaded walk to make it 3-1 Hallsville after four innings.

Corey Murray led off the sixth inning with a solo home run to pull the Broncos to within a run. A walk and a hit batter ended Reich’s night, giving way to Bailey, who struck out three and fielded the final out for the save.