Key Hit Gives Port Neches-Groves 3-2 Win in 5A State Semifinal Game

Port Neches-Groves Takes 3-2 Win To Advance to State Championship

A timely hit and a 2nd pitcher worked to give Port Neches-Groves a big 3-2 win over Frisco Wakeland in the first 5A State Semifinal Game. Port Neches-Groves now advances to the State Championship Game on Saturday to face the winner of the Corpus Christi Moody/Grapevine Semifinal.

Port Neches-Groves took an early 1-0 lead in the first when they scored a run after Hayden Guerra walked, stole second and scored on an Austin Bost RBI single.

The lead was short-lived as Wakeland scored 2 runs in the bottom of the 1st inning. Collin McDuffie doubled for Wakeland and scored on a JT Thompson RBI single. Thompson later scored on an infield error.

The score remained 2-1 in favor of Wakeland until the 5th when Designated Hitter Holden Lane came up with runners on 2nd and 3rd and 2 outs. Lane laced a single to left field that scored both Guerra and Logan Lejeune to take the 3-2 lead.

Meanwhile, Nathan Vidrine, who came in for starting pitcher Josh Hranicky in the 1st inning, shut down Wakeland the rest of the game. Vidrine was the winning pitcher and finished the game pitching 6.1 innings, giving up only 3 hits and no runs while striking out 3.

Holden Lane “They had been getting the fast ball past early in the game. I knew I was 0-2 and they were going to try to get the fast ball past me again. I just went to bat looking for it, got it and I hit it. It was a great feeling.”

Nathan Vidrine “We had a team meeting before the game and the coaches told me to be ready if we got in trouble. So I prepared for the game like I was to pitch and the coaches helped me to feel confident about the game today.”