Friendswood Advances to 5A State Championship with 4-2 Win over Mansfield Legacy

Friendswood jumped out to an early lead and held on to capture the first 5A Semifinal Game 4-2 over Mansfield Legacy. Friendswood will now meet the winner of the Georgetown/Frisco Wakeland game in the 5A State Championship Game on Saturday.

Friendswood got on the board quickly in the bottom of the first inning. Dylan Maxcey got aboard on an error and was sacrificed over to 2B. Boots Landry singled in Maxcey to give Friendswood a 1-0 lead. Ty Brantley followed up a Dane Perry single with a double down the left field line to score both Landry and Perry and Friendswood took a 3-0 lead.

“We came out aggressive,” Brantley explained the first inning burst. “It’s just coming out, blocking out all the noise and being ready to play our game. For me personally, he hung a changeup and I just smacked it.”

Friendswood pitcher Jacob Rogers held Legacy at bay for 3 innings, allowing on a walk and a single to go with 3 strikeouts. But Legacy tightened the game in the top of the 4th. Kayden Voelkel led off the inning with a single and advanced to 2nd on a wild pitch. Andrew Taylor followed with a single and advanced to 2nd on a ground out. With 2 outs, Luke Devasher singled home both runs to make it a 3-2 ball game.

Friendswood picked up another run in the 5th. With one out, Dane Perry tripled and Ty Brantley got him home on a fielder’s choice ground ball. It was Brantley’s 3rd RBI of the evening. “I was just trying to do my job with a runner on 3rd and less than two out,” Brantley said about his 3rd RBI. I hit the other way and it was enough for the runner to beat the throw.”

Down 4-2 in the top of the 7th, Cade Sanberg led off with a single for Legacy. Coach Benavides quickly brought in reliever Griffon Kasemeyer. Kasemeyer struck out the next three batters to pick up the save and give Friendswood their win and trip to the 5A State Championship Game.

Ty Brantley was named the Texas High School Baseball Player of the Game. He was 1-3 with a double and 3 RBIs.