Weatherford Christian Takes TAPPS Divison 5 State Championship on Game Ending Triple Play

Weatherford Christian clinched their 3rd consecutive State Championship with a game ending triple play, holding off Shiner St Paul by a score of 3-2. Weatherford Christian has won the Division 5 State Title in 2019, 2021 and now 2022.

Weatherford Christian scored the first run of the game in the bottom of the 1st when an Ethan Smith triple scored Jaxon Foland. Shiner St Paul tied the game in the 3rd inning when a Nate Boedeker triple scored Noah Boedeker.

But Weatherford Christian responded with 2 runs of their own in the bottom of the 3rd when Jaxson Foland scored on an error and Carter Guynes hit an RBI single.

Starting pitcher Ethan Smith held Shiner St. Paul to just the one run in 4 innings. He gave way to brother Wyatt Smith in the 5th. St. Paul was able to get one run off of the younger Smith when a Fisher Davis single scored Sean Humes, making the score 3-2 in favor of Weatherford Christian.

Both teams were held scoreless in the 6th setting the stage for the wild ending in the top of the 7th. Nate Boedeker singled to lead off the 7th and Davis followed with a single of his own. With runners on 1st and 2nd and no outs, Weatherford Christian brought in Rand Greene to close the game with Jackson Ulcak up to bat. A wild pitch moved the runners to 2nd and 3rd and there was a sense that a Shiner St Paul rally was in the making.

On a 2-2 pitch, Ulcak hit a soft liner that appeared to be going over shortstop Clay Dukes’ head. But Dukes was able to get to the ball and make the catch for the out. The St. Paul runner on 2nd was already down the line and Dukes threw to 2B Carter Guynes to double up the runner. The St. Paul runner on 3rd dashed home on the throw to 2B in hopes of tying the game but Guynes was alert and his throw home was right on target allowing  C Jaxon Foland to makee the tag at home for the third out and giving Weatherford Christian the 2022 Division 5 State Championship.

Ethan Smith was named the Championship Player of the Game. He was winning pitcher with 4 IP, 4 Hits, 1 Run, 6 Ks and 0 BB. At the plate, he was 1-2 with a 3B, an RBI and a BB.