COLLEGE STATION — Lake Travis baseball kept its season alive Friday.
Facing elimination in the Class 6A Division I state semifinals, the Cavaliers used a three-run fourth inning to overcome the Humble Atascocita Eagles 4-1 at Blue Bell Park at Olsen Field.
After falling behind 1-0, Cavaliers third baseman Nelson Molina drew a walk in the bottom of the fourth inning before designated hitter Reed Murphy and center fielder Austin Glasgow tallied a pair of hits to drive him home. From there, shortstop Jager Rahn slapped a bases-clearing single to left field to push Lake Travis ahead 3-1.
“If you followed us all year, these guys have been tough and resilient all year,” Lake Travis coach Ryan Rogers said. “So just like last series, its nothing new, they don’t panic, they just show up and keep playing.”
Lake Travis pitcher Luke McBride went the distance in a gritty performance, collecting five strikeouts and allowing one run, eight hits and one walk. It was an effort that McBride says demonstrates the kind of team Lake Travis is, and has been all season long. With the season on the line, Molina said McBride was in complete control on the mound.
“Every pitch I gave the sign for, (McBride) executed,” said catcher Yanuell Molina. “He knows how to locate the pitches and force weak contact and gets us outs.”
Lake Travis tallied six hits with Rahn having two of them. Atascocita starting pitcher Tyler Swann went 3⅓ innings, striking out one, allowing three runs, four hits and three walks. Catcher Jaxson McKnight led offensively for Atascocita, collecting two hits and crossing the plate for the Eagles’ only run.
The Cavaliers prepare for Game 3 at 6 p.m. Saturday, with the winner advancing to the state championship series June 6 against the Midway-Prosper winner at Dell Diamond.
Other Austin-area results
Dripping Springs 3, Kingwood 0: Taylor Tracey struck out seven and scattered three hits in 6⅔ innings and both Dom Hurley and Tristan Ciechanowicz drove in runs as the Tigers won Game 2 to even their Class 6A Division II semifinal series on Friday. Blake Cox recorded the game’s final out by drawing a pop fly to second base.
Game 3 will be Saturday.
Liberty Hill 3, Kingwood Park 2: Chase Breckel’s RBI single in the top of the seventh broke a 2-2 tie and Carson Sharp tossed a perfect bottom half of the inning to close out the game as the Panthers won the opener of their Class 5A Division II series. Jordan Andrews blasted a two-run homer and threw six innings on the mound for Liberty Hill.
The Panthers will play Game 2 — and Game 3 if necessary — on Saturday.
Wimberley 7, Bridge City 6: Bryson Anderson walked, stole second and scored on an error in the bottom of the eighth to give the Texans the series sweep in the Class 4A Division II semifinals and send them to the state championship game. Anderson also had a two-run triple, Sage Hall produced a two-run single and Wyatt Yeatter belted a run-scoring double in other notable offense for Wimberley.
— Colby Gordon
Reach Texas A&M Beat Reporter Tony Catalina via email at Anthony.Catalina@hearst.com. Follow the American-Statesman on Facebook and X for more. Your subscription makes work like this possible. Access all of our best content with this tremendous offer.