HS Baseball Playoffs: Grand Oaks advances to Regional Quarterfinals

TOMBALL, TX -- Less than 24 hours after forcing Game 3, the Grand Oaks Grizzlies returned to Tomball Memorial and defeated the Wildcats 7-3 to advance to the UIL 6A Regional Quarterfinals.

Hudson Hamilton (5 IP, 3 SOs, 2 Hs, 1 ER) got the start for the Grizzlies and he found himself in the middle of a game-changing moment in the first inning. Tomball Memorial had the bases loaded, looking to break the game open early, but with a 3-2 count, Hamilton struck out the batter to keep the game scoreless.

That was a missed opportunity for the Wildcats and the Grizzlies took advantage of it by being the first to score in the top of the 3rd inning. Kyle Derusse (1-3, two RBIs) forced a bad throw from the second baseman, allowing the Grizzlies to score a run.

After RBI’s from AJ McCrady (2-4, one RBI), Derusse, and Antonio Sabala, Grand Oaks held a 5-0 lead going into the bottom of the fifth inning. It seemed the Grizzlies were going to run away with the game, but in the bottom of the inning, a couple of errors and an RBI double suddenly cut the Grand Oaks lead to two.

The score stayed at 5-3 going into the seventh inning where the Grizzlies would pick up two insurance runs in the top of the inning. A bunt from McCrady forced a collision between the pitcher and catcher. That collision forced a bad throw that resulted in a collision between McCrady and the first baseman, and the chaos allowed runners to score from first and second.

Grand Oaks quickly put away Tomball Memorial in the bottom of the inning to win the series and advance to round three where they will meet The Woodlands.