Wall Knocks off Defending State Champion to Advance to 3A State Championship Game

The Wall Hawks were supposed to be a year away. But someone forgot to tell the team that and they went out and knocked off the defending state champion London Pirates 5-1 to put themselves in the 3A State Championship Game vs the Boyd Yellowjackets.

Wall jumped out to the early lead in the 3rd inning. With the bases loaded and two outs, Hagyn Barbee singled through the right side scoring courtesy runner Mason Martinez and Luke Kemp to give Wall the 2-0 lead.

Wall pitcher Kellan Oliver, who came in after Luke Kemp walked the first batter of the game, held London scoreless for three innings. But he got in trouble in the 4th. He walked two batters and was called for a balk twice. The second balk scored Mason Jacob and London got on the board without a hit, making the score 2-1.

Wall picked up another run in the 5th. Kemp singled to start the inning, went to second on an errant pickoff throw, advanced to 3rd on a fly ball to right field, and scored on a Dylan Gidney single. Wall led 3-1.

Oliver got in trouble again in the 6th with two on and no outs. Wall inserted Dylan Gidney on the mound and he got two fly outs and one strike out to end the London scoring threat.

Wall picked up some insurance runs in the 7th. With two outs and the bases loaded, Caleb Braden singled home Kemp and Gidney and Wall increased their lead to 5-1.

Gidney started off the 7th by striking out the first two batters but then walked the next 3 batters to bring the tying run up to the plate with the bases loaded. But Gidney got Landon Salinas to fly out to RF giving Wall the 5-1 win and the trip to the 3A State Championship Game.

Kellan Oliver was named the THSB MVP. He was the winning pitcher. He threw 5 innings, gave up 2 hits and only 1 run with 2 Ks.