The Orangefield Bobcats rebounded from a loss in Game 2 of the series to dominate the District 21-4A Champion Lufkin Hudson Hornets in the decisive third game played Saturday at Paul Cormier Field in Orangefield. The Bobcats took an early lead and won the ball game 7-1 to advance to the Area Round of the state playoffs in Coach Tim Erickson’s first season at Orangefield.
Coach Erickson held his ace pitcher Ryon Stubblefield for the third game of the series, and it proved to be money in the bank for the Bobcats. Stubblefield pitched a complete game for the victory to raise his record to 8-2 on the season. He walked just one striking out six and allowing six hits. The only run Stubblefield allowed was unearned.
Despite playing on their home field the Bobcats were designated the visitors in Game 3. Starting in the top of the first inning Orangefield jumped on Hudson starting pitcher Cole Geesling for three runs.
The Bobcats took advantage of two errors by the Hornets. The big blow was a double down the left field line by Brett Fregia to drive in Johnny Armstrong who reached on an error with the first run. Mack Patterson had walked prior to Fregia’s double and would score on the second error of the inning by the Hornets. Fregia made it 3-0 when he scored on a base hit by Mason Gonzales.
The Bobcats almost blew the game open in the second inning as Armstrong got a two-out single before Patterson reached on another error by Lufkin Hudson. Fregia ripped a drive into left field that appeared to be destined for a two-run double, but the Hornets’ Travis Duvall made a sensational diving catch to spoil the opportunity and retire the side.
The Hornets got their lone run in the second. Weston McKinley reached on an error and took second on errant pickoff throw. He scored on a two-out single by Hunter Mayo.
Orangefield added some cushion with three more runs in the fifth inning to chase the previously undefeated Geesling from the mound. Fregia got it started with a single to center. Kent Michael walked and was pinch run for by Cade Brown. Dylan Anthony blasted a drive to deep left center that missed a homerun by inches as Duvall banged into the fence, but could not repeat his magic of the second inning. Fregia hustled home just beating the throw to make it 4-1.
Gonzales who was the pitching hero of Game 1 in the series lined a pitch in the gap between left and center for a double driving in both Brown and Anthony. The 6-1 advantage looked bigger than that with the way Stubblefield was operating on the mound for the Bobcats.
The lead got a little bigger in the seventh when Anthony reached second base on the fourth error of the game by the Hornets. Gonzales drove in his fourth run of the game with a base hit to make the score 7-1.
Lufkin Hudson threatened in the bottom of the seventh starting the inning with two singles. After a force out put runners at first and third the Hornets best hitter J. T. Penick came to bat. Penick hit a hard grounder to second which Ryan Deutsch fielded cleanly tossing to second for one and shortstop Kaedon Evans relayed to first to nip Penick for a game ending, series clinching double play.
The Area Round is next, and Orangefield will play the Hardin-Jefferson Hawks. A bit of irony is Hardin-Jefferson is the school Coach Erickson left to come coach the Bobcats. -Dan Perrine, KOGT-
OF 3 0 0 0 3 0 1- 7
LH 0 1 0 0 0 0 0- 1
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Game 2
The Lufkin Hudson Hornets evened the series with the Orangefield Bobcats with a convincing 8-2 win in the second game of the series Saturday at Orangefield’s Paul Cormier Field.
LH 1 0 2 0 1 3 2- 8
OF 0 0 0 0 0 1 1- 2
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