Lufkin Hangs on For 2-0 Win + Playoff Series Sweep of Waxahachie

TYLER -- The Lufkin Panthers pitching staff put forth a dominating effort in their Class 5A area playoff series against Waxahachie.

Logan Lair and Kolten Eberlan combined on a three-hit shutout Friday in Lufkin's 2-0 win, which completed the two-game sweep at Mike Carter Field.

LufkIn (23-8), which will advance to the regional quarterfinals and meet either Hallsville or Mansfield Summit next week, tossed 14 shutout innings and limited Waxahachie (17-11) to six hits in the two games.

The Panthers got out of the trouble in the top of the seventh after Waxahachie loaded the bases with only one out. Eberlan, who came on at the beginning of the inning in relief, struck out Levi David and induced Sean Moore to ground out to shortstop, ending the inning and series.

Lair escaped a similar jam in the sixth inning, retiring Waxahachie cleanup batter Trey Thompson on flyout to center field with the bases loaded and two outs. Lair allowed only two hits and walked one batter in his six innings of work.

Waxahachie starter Tyler Navarro pitched well in the losing effort, allowing two runs on five hits with a strikeout and a walk in six innings.

Lufkin grabbed a 1-0 lead just three batters into the game. Luke Rowley reached on an infield single with one out in the first, and came home on Blake Lazarine's RBI double down the left field line. The Panthers couldn't push any more runs across that inning, as Navarro got Max Quick to ground into a double play to end the threat.

Navarro settled into a groove, retiring eight consecutive Lufkin batters until Rafael Pena walked with one out in the fifth. Connor Hanks then reached on an error, preceding Jonathan Dewberry's bloop RBI single to left, which pushed the Panthers' lead to 2-0.

Lufkin then tried a suicide squeeze, but courtesy runner Max McCarty was cut down at the plate when the batter failed to make contact.

The Panthers attempted to play add-on in the sixth when Haylen Green doubled to deep right with one out. But Navarro retired the next two batters, sending the game to the seventh.