Beaumont Kelly Catholic Turnaround Season Leads to TAPPS Division II State Championship

Beaumont Kelly Catholic went from a 9-win season in 2022 to winning a State Championship in 2023 with the 4-2 win over Midland Christian in the TAPPS Division II State Championship Game. Kelly Catholic picked up 7 hits in the game but was also aided by 10 walks issued by Midland Christian pitchers.

Kelly Catholic opened the game with a run in the first. Gage Lawdermilk and Austin Brown opened the game with walks and Pitcher Ryan Brown singled home Lawdermilk to give Kelly Catholic the early 1-0 lead.

But Midland Christian answered with a run of their own in the bottom half of the first. Leadoff hitter Connor Jordan walked, went to 2nd on a wild pitch and scored on the Cadon Griffin RBI single to tie the game at 1-1.

Jordan also scored the second Midland Christian run in the bottom of the 3rd. After singling with one out, Jordan stole second, went to 3rd on an error and scored on an errant pickoff attempt at first to give Midland Christian their first lead of the game, 2-1.

Kelly Catholic had their big inning in the 5th. Sam Bevilacqua singled home Palmer Simeon, Ryan Brown scored on an errant throw and Gibson Bitar singled home Bevilacqua to give Kelly Catholic a 4-2 lead.

That was all that Kelly Catholic Freshman relief pitcher Jared Moulder needed. He would not allow any runs for the rest of the game. He picked up the win, pitching 4.1 innings, giving up 0 runs on just 2 hits and 1 walk while striking out 3. For his performance, Moulder was named the THSB Player of the Game.

“Coach told me last night that I would close the game but I didn’t think I would come in that early,” Moulder explained. “I just came in and threw my fastball hard. My slider didn’t work at first but then it came around and I started pounding the zone with it and they couldn’t hit it.”

Kelly Catholic Head Coach Jason Tyner commented: “This is a special group of kids. They won 9 games last year and they decided that wasn’t good enough. This is a team that is willing to work and grind out and beat teams that may be more talented than them. Just dirtbag players who refuse to lose.”

THSB Championship Player of the Game – Jared Moulder