Big Innings Propel Liberty Eylau to 4A Semifinal Win

 admin  |    Jun 7th, 2023

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	1	2	3	4	5	6	7		R	H	E
Texarkana Liberty Leopards	6	0	0	0	1	5	3		15	14	4
Canyon Randall Raiders	1	1	0	1	2	0	0		5	8	5

Liberty-Eylau got two big innings offensively and rode them to a 15-5 win over Canyon Randall in the first 4A State Semifinal Game at Disch-Falk Field.   They will now meet the winner of the Sinton/China Spring game for the 2023 4A State Championship.

Liberty-Eylau started off the game in a big way.  Cal Jones started the explosive inning with a double to right center and Trison Haugh followed up with a bunt single.  Starting pitcher WT Jones tripled down the right field line scoring both Jones and Haugh.  Jones also scored on the play via a throwing error and after the first batters, Liberty-Eylau had a 3-0 lead.  The Leopards picked up three more runs in the inning on a Collin Evans RBI single and Cal Jones 2 RBI Double on a Texas leaguer down the left field line.  That gave Liberty-Eylau a 6-0 lead to start the game.

Canyon Randall began to chip away at the early lead.  They scored a run in the bottom of the 1^st on a Kaden Juarez RBI single and then picked up another run in the 2^nd on a Brae Silva Sacrifice Fly to make it 6-2.  Randall cut it to 6-3 in the 4^th when Juarez singled for his 2^nd RBI of the game.

Dylan Nabors increased the Liberty Eylau to 7-3 with a rbi single in the top of the 5^th but Canyon Randall cut it to 7-5 on three Liberty Eylau errors in the bottom of the 5^th.

That’s when Liberty Eylau had their 2^nd big inning.  They scored  5 runs on just 2 hits and were helped by 2 walks, 2 hit batters and a Randall error to take a 12-5 lead.  They scored three more runs in the top of the 7^th with rbi singles by Evans and Nabors and on another Randall error.  Richie Plant came in and pitched a scoreless 7^th to give Liberty-Eylau the 15-5 win.

WT Jones was the starting pitcher going 3.2 innings giving up 3 runs, 1 unearned, on 7 hits and 3 strikeouts.  At the plate, he was 2-3 with a triple, 2 RBIs, 3 runs and 2 HBP.  He was named the THSB 4A Semifinal MVP.

Jones talked about his big hit in the 1^st “We wanted to get off to hot start and we had two on.  He threw me a curve ball on a 2-2 count and I just took it to right field for a triple and then scored on the overthrow.  In these kind of games it’s important to get off to that fast start and to keep that lead and that’s what we did.”

Head Coach Zach Fowler on his team coming into this game –“I’m really proud of these kids showing up, being on the big stage, and stepping up and playing well.  Randall made some mistakes early and our kids were able to take advantage of that.  We were happy to be on top early and we are excited to be playing in the last game of the year.”