Bowie wins twice Saturday, ousts The Woodlands

AUSTIN, Texas – After opening with an impressive 6-1 win over Austin Bowie on Friday, The Woodlands High School baseball team fell 6-2 and 4-1 on Saturday at Burger Field. The defending state champion Highlanders saw their season come to an abrupt end in the area round of the playoffs.

The Highlanders (27-7) scored single markers in the third and seventh innings of Saturday’s first game and then tallied just one run, in the seventh inning, of the nightcap.

“Hell of a season from everyone,” tweeted Chris Andritsos, winning pitcher in the series opener on Friday, “not the way we wanted to go out but couldn’t of ask for better teammates this year! Thanks to all the seniors.”

Senior Hillin Warren tweeted his appreciation for the team as well.

“Couldn’t have asked for a better 4 years. Love you guys like brothers.”

Andritsos and Warren each collected two hits in the first game on Saturday. Mark Doerries and Max Conway added one each. Warren had the team’s lone RBI in the game with Colton Wardle and Scott Stephens crossing the plate.

The Highlanders committed three errors, making things that much tougher for starting pitcher Devin Fontenot, who worked through two innings. Bowie broke a 1-1 tie with a five-run third inning.

Evan Samoff threw three innings of solid relief, keeping Bowie off the scoreboard. Michael Francis finished up with a solid inning on the mound.

It came down to a final game and Bowie won it with a three-run third inning.

Casey Schneider had two hits and scored a run for the Highlanders. Luke Sherley had the RBI. Aaron Milone had one of seven hits for The Woodlands and worked three solid innings in relief of starter Luke Sherley, also victimized by fielding errors. Three of Bowie’s four runs were unearned.

Bowie advances to the Region II-5A quarterfinals next week to face Klein Collins.