HS BASEBALL: Gutsy Game 3 Performances From The Woodlands, Grand Oaks, and Willis Punch Them A Ticket To The Regional Semifinal Round

DISTRICT 13 – This past week, the 2nd round of the 6A Baseball State Tournament concluded, with all 4 teams from the district facing some of the state’s best high school teams. In the end, 3 series went to 3 games, and 3 of the 4 teams advanced to the 3rd round (also known as the regional semifinals). The Woodlands, Grand Oaks, and Willis all punched their tickets into the next round, proving why District 13 is one of the toughest divisions in 6A. Unfortunately, the odd team out was Oak Ridge, which lost in 2 games to Tomball, meaning the district champion ended their season earlier than the team behind them in the standings. Let's dive into each series and check out how our remaining teams moved on.

The Woodlands Highlanders: Recovering From A Rough Start

The story of this series was one of resilience and picking yourself up when things don’t go your way. The Woodlands Highlanders started this series against Klein Oak in a rough spot but came through in the end to deliver a convincing 3-game series win that proves why this team has had a strong season. They now get to move on to face a tough team in Waxahachie, but they have the capability to win even if they are down.

Game 1

The 1^st game of the series was a rough start for the Highlanders, as they gave up a 3-1 lead in the 4th inning despite out-hitting Klein Oak. The Panthers recorded only 4 hits all game, 3 fewer than the Highlanders' 7-hit night. The final score of 4-3 was largely driven by pitching struggles, which led to 2 RBI singles and 1 RBI walk in the 4th inning alone. The Woodlands did a solid job at the plate but stranded multiple batters on base and had untimely outs that let the Panthers escape innings unharmed. A key play in this game, and an example of this, came in the 7th, as the Highlanders loaded the bases with 3 straight singles, only for an odd double play to occur on the next batter, before another groundout finished the game. Cruz Romo led the Highlanders in hits with 2, while Cash McWhorter, Cash Clayton, Jack Smejkal, Bryson Bourn, and Sawyer Banks all came up with hits as well. Clayton took the loss on the mound, allowing 4 hits and 4 earned runs, striking out 4 batters before Luke Peterson finished the game, allowing no runs. Game 2 was now an elimination game and was a pivotal one for the Highlanders.

Game 2

In a win-or-go-home game, The Woodlands would have to pull out all the stops to stay in the tournament for another round. Luckily, game 2 was at Scotland Yard, giving the Highlanders some much-needed home-field advantage. That advantage was felt throughout the game, as the Highlanders pulled off the win 9-4 in a long, rainy game that kept everyone on their toes. Klein Oak started the scoring quickly, getting 2 runs off starter Jack Smejkal in the 2nd inning and highlighting the Highlanders’ pitching struggles at the beginning of games. The Woodlands answered back quickly, as a wild pitch allowed Ben Gordley to score before a Johan Fernandez single drove in Cash McWhorter for the tying run. The Panthers stayed on the attack, taking the lead back 3-2 by the end of the 3rd inning, before the Highlanders finally woke up in the 4th inning. Sawyer Banks started the scoring by hitting a deep RBI double that saw Gordley score, before an error on a hit from Fernandez scored McWhorter to take the lead 4-3. The runs kept piling on, as Luke Sheeren hit an RBI groundout before Bryson Bourn got a single on a bobbled ball to the shortstop. Romo then blasted a double deep into right, allowing Fernandez and Bourn (who was still at 1st) to score. Clayton got the final run of the inning, driving in Romo on another double, which saw the lead increase to 8-3. Klein Oak did score one more run, but that was canceled out by the Highlanders scoring their 9th and final run on a Sheeren bunt that turned into an error. Altogether, the Highlanders amassed 8 hits, with a couple of players, such as Clayton and McWhorter, getting more than just one. Pitching was the one struggle early in this game, as Smejkal struggled with walks early on and allowed 2 earned runs while only striking out 2 batters. Sheeren came in for relief in the 3rd inning and did a solid job cleaning up, striking out 6 batters and allowing only 2 hits. It was a game where the Highlanders needed their offense, and luckily it was out in full force to take us to a game 3.

Game 3

Let’s quickly go through game 3, as it was one the Highlanders certainly wanted to get through as fast as possible and move on. The Woodlands captured the win over Klein Oak, shutting them out 8-0 in an incredible pitching performance. Xavier Gregg got the start and made the most of it, going all 7 innings and not allowing a single run. Gregg struck out 5 batters and allowed only 4 hits, giving the Highlanders’ pitching staff, which can look shaky at times, a boost of confidence. On the offensive side, the Highlanders combined for 9 total hits, with Clayton and Smejkal each getting 2. 5 doubles were hit in this one, and Bourn got the lone triple, giving the Highlanders a solid performance behind the plate. Klein Oak allowed The Woodlands to get 5 runs in the 5th inning, continuing the trend of giving up lots of runs in the middle of the game to make the score pretty much out of reach. This win puts the Highlanders in the 3rd round of the playoffs, moving them ever so closer to that coveted state title. They face a Waxahachie team in the 3rd round that is capable of some damage, so be on the lookout for that matchup this week.

Grand Oaks Grizzlies: Resilient To The Challenges Ahead

The Grand Oaks Grizzlies didn’t quite end the season the way they wanted to, dropping a series to Willis and feeling sluggish heading into these playoffs. So far, they have proven that notion completely wrong and now find themselves moving on to the 3rd round after a 2-1 series win over the Klein Collins Tigers. The Grizzlies have the firepower and ability to make a deep run, and so far they are proving why they deserve to be here.

Game 1

It was a tough start to the series for the Grizzlies, who dropped the 1st game to Klein Collins 2-4 on a walk-off home run. Grand Oaks started hot with an Andrew Clayton sacrifice fly that allowed Colton Tally to score. Collins answered right back, though, scoring 2 runs in the 3rd to take the lead back. The Grizzlies finally scored again on a bunt from Hector Fancia-Linares that allowed Sebastian Segura to score all the way from 1st base after a throwing error moved everyone up the basepath. The Tigers slammed the door shut on the Grizzlies, though, as the walk-off home run came after a double with a runner on. Grand Oaks hit the ball 9 times throughout the game but ultimately couldn’t score when it was needed. The pitching wasn’t terrible, as starter Drew Johnson threw 5 innings, notching 5 strikeouts and allowing only 2 earned runs. That put Grand Oaks in a similar spot to The Woodlands, making game 2 a win-or-go-home contest.

Game 2

If you thought 1 walk-off in a series was special, well, prepare yourself because this game saw another one, and this time it went in favor of the Grizzlies. Grand Oaks won 3-2 on a walk-off double from Harper Seman that sent Colton Tally home after Tally had doubled to start the 10th inning. The game going 3 innings deep into extra innings shows how badly Grand Oaks wanted this, and this win was no doubt one of their best all season. The other 2 runs for the Grizzlies came in the 4th inning, as three straight singles from Brody Freitas, Segura, and Francia-Linares scored 2 runs. Grand Oaks hitters combined for 9 hits but struck out 12 times, leading to another game with lots of runners stranded on base and unable to score. The Grizzlies' pitching staff was solid in this game, too, with Noah Lopez throwing 5 strikeouts in 4 innings, while Andrew Clayton threw 8 in 5, combining for 13 total strikeouts and only 2 earned runs. With a gutsy performance from both offense and defense, the Grizzlies moved on to game 3 in hopes of continuing their run a little longer.

Game 3

In the winner-take-all game 3, the Grizzlies rode the momentum from game 2 and stomped the Klein Collins Tigers 12-2, powered by solid hitting. Andrew Clayton and Callum Wilson dominated at the plate, with Wilson going 3-5 and driving in 2 runs. Clayton recorded 2 hits on the day, but he smashed a 3-run home run in the 5th inning to put the Grizzlies up 5-2 and really turn the tide of the game. Owen Eastwood also hit a home run, blasting a 2-run shot over the left-field wall to make it 10-2 in the 6th. Grand Oaks scored 6 runs in the 6th inning, leading to the game ending early by the run rule as they went up by 10. Cade Calhoun and Jarrett Pierson were both on the mound for the Grizzlies, with Calhoun pitching 4 innings, allowing 2 earned runs and recording 2 strikeouts, while Pierson went 2 innings with no earned runs and 4 strikeouts. Much like their district counterparts in The Woodlands, Grand Oaks dominated in game 3 and punched their ticket to the 3rd round. They are a team that can get a lot of hits and will score if given the chance, so they will be a fun team to watch as the tournament goes on. They face off against the Rockwall Yellowjackets, who are a solid team and could provide a fun series this week.

Willis Wildkats: The Art Of The Upset

Coming into this series, it felt like the Willis Wildkats were playing with house money, having made it through the 1st round fairly easily and now facing a Magnolia West team viewed as a top 30 team in the state. They didn’t seem nervous coming into this series, as they took the series 2-1 in another Game 3 win, making all of District 13’s series wins go to 3 games. Willis acted like they belonged up there with Mag West and proved they are not to be underestimated despite their record, showing they can be a dangerous team if given the right circumstances.

Game 1

Heading into game 1, we knew who Magnolia West was. They played The Woodlands in one of the tightest games all season and finished 2nd in a district with some of the strongest competition in the state. Willis didn’t seem to care about any of that, though, and beat the Mustangs 6-2 in a statement opening game. The Wildkats scored 6 runs in the 2nd inning and never gave up that lead for the rest of the game. The big blow came on an incredible grand slam from Justin Zakos, who scored 4, before a double from Keaton Jeffcoat drove in 2 more runs. Before that slam, 3 straight singles from Reid Dorwart, Cash Abke, and Dylan Hawthorne loaded the bases. After the slam, Mason Miller singled, then Hunter Slott hit a double, and Gage Blinka was intentionally walked to load the bases yet again. Everyone got a hit except Blinka and Roberts, leading to a combined hit total of 8 on the day. Pitching was lights out for Willis, too, with Shey Holliday throwing all 7 innings, striking out 4 batters while allowing only 2 runs on 3 hits. This was the exact hot start the Wildkats wanted and put Magnolia West on the ropes from the jump.

Game 2

In the 2nd game, things fell back to earth for Willis, as they were on the losing side of a 6-2 game. Pitching was rough, as Abke was only able to pitch 2.2 innings before being pulled, and Brock Brown was pulled after only 2 batters in favor of Cullen Adams, who finished the game with 4 strikeouts in the final 3.2 innings. Hitting was hard to come by as well, with the Mustangs’ pitching staff shutting down the Wildkats’ bats and striking out 6 of them throughout the game. The only two runs scored by Willis came on a wild pitch and a fielder’s choice, meaning solid run scoring did not fall their way either. Still, winning game 1 gave them a cushion in the series, but now they needed to win this game 3 to stay alive.

Game 3

In the final game of the series, Willis came to play, winning the 3rd game 5-3 on the backs of solid hitting at the top of the lineup. Gage Blinka and Keaton Jeffcoat each recorded 2 hits, with Jeffcoat driving in 2 runs. The pivotal moment came in the 4th inning, when Willis broke through with 5 runs to snatch the lead and never give it up for the rest of the game. It started with a Brett Roberts triple that led to a score on a Holliday single. Then the Wildkats played small ball, using a sac-bunt to move runners over and position Dorwart to score on the next play, a sac-fly from Miller. A single from Blinka scored another run before a Jeffcoat double drove in 2 more runs to put the game at 5-2 in just 1 inning. From there, Brown finished out the game on the mound with only 1 earned run and earned the win for the Wildkats. This goes down as one of the best upsets in the 2nd round and may be one of the best in the entire tournament, depending on how everything else goes. Willis now punches their ticket into the regional semifinals and puts them in a spot no one really thought they could be in. It just goes to show how a team getting hot at the right time can make all the difference and lead to some fantastic playoff runs.

Oak Ridge War Eagles: Coming Up Short In A Tough Matchup

Even with all the winning happening this week, there was one team we are used to seeing win that didn’t quite match everyone else's performances. The Oak Ridge War Eagles, unfortunately, ran into a buzzsaw in the form of the Tomball Cougars and couldn’t quite overcome the difference in power. The district champs fell in 2 games to the Cougars, and despite a competitive game 1, couldn’t stay afloat in game 2. It is sad that such a good season had to come to an end so soon, but sometimes the bracket doesn’t care about that, and you get matched up with arguably the #1 team in the nation in the 2^nd round despite being a district champion. We won’t dwell on the games too much, but here's a quick overview.

Game 1 was a hard-fought battle that saw the War Eagles come up just short in the end. Oak Ridge took an early 2-0 lead in the 3rd inning, with a solo home run by Jacob Arrants and an RBI single by Carson Holamon that allowed Jonell Rodriguez to score. The War Eagles held strong until the 5th, when Tomball tied it 2-2 by the end of the inning and then took a 4-2 lead in the 6th after some solid small ball moved baserunners into prime scoring positions. The War Eagles combined for only 6 total hits on the day, and the pitching staff recorded just 3 strikeouts between the 2 pitchers on the mound. It was a tough start, but it looked like Oak Ridge could compete, and that was good enough for some heading into game 2.

That hope was quickly squashed in Game 2, as Tomball ran away with it, winning 7-2 in a lopsided offensive day. Oak Ridge matched Tomball in overall hits, but a brutal stretch of 4 straight walks in the 7th inning put the nail in the coffin for Oak Ridge. In fact, the pitching got so desperate that the War Eagles went through 5 different pitchers in this game, while Tomball let their starter go all 7 innings. The bats for Oak Ridge were quiet again, with players like Luis Olmeda and Jonell Rodriguez relatively silent all series and not the hitters we are used to seeing. Still, running into a team as talented as Tomball in the 2nd round was very unfortunate and really capped how far Oak Ridge could realistically go. It would’ve been an awesome upset, but the odds of Tomball losing in the 2nd round were just too low. This ends Oak Ridge’s season prematurely, but it’s still an impressive season, as they still have that district title and probably went out to the team that’s going to win the whole tournament.

Final Thoughts

Man, that was a lot of baseball to run through, so thank you for sticking with it all the way to this point. With 3 separate 3-game series, it’s a lot to cover, and it’s impressive that each of these teams was able to win such tough series with their backs against the wall. The 3rd round, or the regional semifinals, will be played this week, so expect a full preview of all the matchups soon. For reference, The Woodlands will take on Waxahachie, Grand Oaks will take on Rockwall, and Willis will face Tyler Legacy. Make sure to check out the previews coming soon, and we wish the best of luck to all the teams still in the dance.