Hallettsville Sacred Heart Beats Bellville Faith Academy 9-5 to Reach 3rd Consecutive State Championship Game

TAPPS DIVISION 5 STATE SEMI-FINAL

Hallettsville Sacred Heart took advantage of Bellville Faith Academy errors and got the bats going late to win 9-5 in the TAPPS Division 5 State Semifinal game. They now will meet the winner of Ovilla Christian and Dallas First Baptist I the Division 5 State Championship game.

Sacred Heart scored two runs in the top of the 1st on two errors. Dillon Goedrich walked and later scored on an error on a fly ball hit by Layne Sevcik. Sevcik later came around and scored on a throwing error.

They picked up 2 more runs in the 2nd, again on mistakes. With 2 outs,Trent Sevcik singled, reached 2nd on an error and then scored on pick off throwing error. Afterwards, Goedrich scored on a passed ball. Sacred Heart led 4-0.

Sacred Heart picked up another run in the 3rd. Josh Terry doubled home Emerson Harvey to make the score 5-0.

Faith Academy got on the board in the bottom of the 5th thanks to some Sacred Heart mistakes. Cash Eckermann walked and advanced to 3B on a HBP and a Fielder’s Choice. He then scored on a passed ball. Kayden Marcotte scored the second run of the inning on an infield throwing error and Faith Academy cut the deficit to 5-2.

Sacred Heart got one of the runs back in the top of the 6th. Layne Sevcik hit a 2 out RBI single to centerfield, scoring Goedrich, his 3rd run of the game.

Faith Academy was not deterred and responded with 3 runs of their own. Eckermann doubled home Gage Wilson and Dyllan Olivares. Eckermann was awarded 3rd Base on the hit because of interference. Travis Woodley then scored Eckermann on a Sacrifice Fly to left field. That cut the Sacred Heart lead to 6-5.

Sacred Heart had a big 7th inning. Trent Sevik scored Terry on a bases loaded Sacrifice Fly on a close play at home. With runners advancing to 2nd and 3rd on the throw home, Goedrich then singled home two runs to make it 9-5 headed to the bottom of the 7th.

Relief Pitcher Charlie Shank was able to hold Faith Academy scoreless in the bottom of the 7th giving Sacred Heart the 9-5 win and a berth in the state championship game for the 3rd year in a row.

Layne Sevcik was the winning pitcher.  He pitched 5 innings, gave up 2 unearned runs on just 2 hits.  He struck out 6 and walked 6.  He also was 1-4 at the plate with a RBI and a run scored.  Sevcik was the named the THSB MVP of the game.

“It wasn’t my best night pitching,” Servcik said.  “But my defense was amazing behind me.  We have a lot of perservance, we don’t give up and we bring a lot of energy.  And our hitting is contagious.”

“This was a crazy game,” Sacred Heart Head Coach Mark Noska stated.  “We had some walks and some errors but we held it together.  Our team has a lot of heart and a lot of fight.  Layne is a competitor.  You want the ball in his hand.”