Waxahachie Takes Game 1 From Hallsville Baseball In Extra Innings

McKINNEY -- Adversity and opportunity have arrived for Hallsville in its effort to reach a second consecutive state tournament.

The Bobcats dropped Game 1 of their three-game Class 5A area round playoff series against Waxahachie, 5-3, in eight innings Friday at McKinney Boyd High School's Bronco Field. They will face the prospect of elimination today at 2:30 p.m. on Dallas Jesuit's campus.

The loss snapped a 12-game winning streak dating back to March 27. All of the victories came in shutout form.

"One thing that we've hung our hat on this season has been throwing strikes," Hallsville head coach Scott Mitchell said. "We didn't do a very good job of that tonight. We haven't been in a tight ball game in a while, and I think the pressure of being in a tight ball game kind of showed tonight."

The deck is stacked against Hallsville (22-5) entering today's playoff game. It heavily used ace Coby Weaver and No. 2 pitcher Colton Brasher also was taxed in defeat.

Weaver threw 90 pitches through 4 2/3 innings and Brasher recorded 50 throws in 2 2/3 innings of relief. Austin Blakeley recorded the final two outs of the top eighth with eight pitches.

Taylor Bright, contrarily, threw a complete regular game on 131 pitches for Waxahachie (23-5). Tyler Navarro earned a save in extras, facing four batters in the bottom eighth.

Hallsville's coaching staff will face some big decisions in Game 2. No pitcher is fully exhausted, but a potential Game 3 immediately afterward could be a hodgepodge of efforts.

And the Bobcats need to win Game 2 to force a decisive third game.

Mitchell was optimistic, however.

"It doesn't do anything for our rotation," he said. "We know who we'll come with in Game 2 and who we've got for Game 3. It doesn't change that."

Weaver, who pitched a five-inning perfect game against Lindale last week, was on the hook for the loss after four innings. In the fifth, left fielder Jack Underwood batted in second baseman Ty Meissner from third base for a 3-3 tie.

Hallsville stranded runners at second base in both the sixth and seventh innings.

Waxahachie's third, fourth and fifth hitters came up in a tie game to start the eighth.

Brasher got the first out with two pitches then walked Bright on five throws. Jonas Hill singled through the right gap to advance Bright to third base.

Bailey Medlock laid down a sacrifice bunt and Hallsville's throw to the plate missed catcher Colton Oberthier to allow the winning run.

Medlock reached home with two outs and the bases loaded on an 0-2 count with the aid of a wild pitch from Blakeley.

The bottom of Hallsville's order were due up for the bottom eighth. They had combined to go 1-for-5 at the plate but also drew three walks and executed a sacrifice bunt.

Weaver led off the frame with a hit through the left gap. Navarro retired the next three Bobcats batters.

"We didn't execute at the plate," Mitchell said. "We left runners on base. We took strike threes too many times. When you do that and, play a great team like Waxahachie, it's going to hurt you."

Friday's game started at 10:08 p.m. It ended at 1:05 a.m. today.

Hallsville and Waxahachie were supposed to play a double-header in Mesquite, but weather forced a venue change. The one game got fit in at Bronco Field following an already scheduled playoff battle between Forney and Frisco.

The Bobcats jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning.

Blakeley hit an RBI double to the right corner of center field to plate Meissner and Jack Underwood's sacrifice hit scored Blakeley.

Waxahachie put together solo runs in the third, fourth and fifth frames for a 3-2 lead through the middle of the fifth.

Weaver struck out seven batters while allowing three walks and four hits for three runs. Brasher allowed two earned runs for the loss.

Bright threw eight strikeouts to seven walks and five hits.

Jesuit's campus is located at 12345 Inwood Road in Dallas.

Waxahachie 5, Hallsville 3 (Eight Innings)

Class 5A Area Round Playoffs, Game 1
At Bronco Field, McKinney

Waxahachie 001 110 02 -- 5 6 0
Hallsville 200 010 00 -- 3 6 2

Pitchers and catchers

Waxahachie: Taylor Bright, Tyler Navarro (8) and Jonas Hill
Hallsville: Coby Weaver, Colton Brasher (5), Austin Blakeley (8) and Colton Oberthier

WP -- Bright
LP -- Brasher
S -- Navarro