Atascocita slips past College Park

ATASCOCITA, Texas – They more than doubled the hit total of hosts Atascocita, but what has become an uncomfortable recent trend, the College Park High School baseball team failed to cross the plate enough times to pull out a victory.

The Cavaliers (20-11) outhit District 13-5A co-champions Atascocita (22-6) by a 9-4 margin, but it was the Eagles who came away with a 3-1 win on Thursday in the first game of a best-of-three bi-district playoff series.

College Park looks to even things up when the series moves to The Diamonds at 7 p.m. Friday. A win there extends the series to a deciding game, which would take place at 7 p.m. Saturday at New Caney High School.

The Cavaliers scored three or fewer runs for the fourth time in their last five games. Justen Heinrich singled home Nate Fisbeck in the bottom of the fifth inning Thursday. It’s the only run the Cavs have scored in their last two games.

Heinrich collected three hits and Noah Vaughan added two more to lead a Cavaliers offense that is having no problem hitting the ball.

Beau Ridgeway handcuffed Atascocita on four hits, striking out four. But Anthony Pagano had two of those in the most opportune time and they drove in two runs.

The Eagles jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning and added another run in the fourth to hold a 3-0 lead.