CHINA SPRING —
The most successful season in almost a decade for Palestine baseball came to an abrupt end Friday here.
China Spring dominated from start to finish of Game 2 at home and completed a sweep of Palestine, 10-0, in six innings to claim the Class 3A bi-district series.
“I’m very proud of the boys,” PHS coach Joey Mason said Saturday. “We’ve had some bad seasons and those seniors stuck with it. it’s been exciting to start a new chapter, hopefully, of Palestine baseball.”
The Cougars led 4-0 heading into their half of the sixth before literally nearly walking around the bases to close out the game.
Steven Boggess and Mason George drew a pair of walks to start the inning and moved up a base when Jason Prevatt reached on an error. Tucker Johnson followed with a bases-loaded walk to bring home Boggess.
A sacrifice fly by Sterling Wynn scored George, and two more walks added two more runs, extending China Spring’s lead to 7-0 while the bases were still loaded.
Cody Holt came to the plate as the Cougars 10th batter of the inning and delivered the first hit. His single scored two, and Boggess followed with a double to score Kade Munden and end the game.
China Spring jumped on top quickly.
George, in his leadoff spot, smacked the first pitch the he saw for a triple and scored just a few pitches later on a single by Prevatt to stake China Spring to a 1-0 lead.
The Cougars added a run in the second and third, taking a 3-0 lead that could have been more with eight runners left on base.
Palestine stayed in the game and had baserunners in every inning but failed to capitalize.
Palestine’s Brian Gummelt led off the second with a single but was picked off at first for a double play after a pop out in the infield. Ryan Zavala followed with a single, but he was picked off at first as well.
The Wildcats missed an opportunity to score and get back in the game in the fifth.
Nathan Perkins and Zavala walked to open the inning and a two-out walk to Juan Trejo loaded the bases for Logan Brown. Brown drove a ground ball to deep shortstop where George made a sliding stop and from his knees got the force out at third to end the inning.
“It was a similar story to Game 1,” Mason said. “We just couldn’t get the runs in and they busted it open.”
The play made up for earlier mistakes in the field for George.
“Mason George is a basball player,” China Spring coach Shane Keeton said. “If he makes an error, I know he’s gonna bounce right back. If they keep hitting the ball to him, we are gonna be all right.
“He knows he made two bad plays today and it drove him nuts. I don’t have to say a word to him, but that’s the mentality everyone on this team has.”
Westwood loaded the bases again in the top of the sixth. Zavala drew another walk, which ended the night for China Spring starting pitcher Johnson.
Holt came in relief with bases loaded as he did in Game 1 and again got the Cougars out of trouble, this time thanks to George.
Chico Herod sent a hard hit ground ball to George’s left again, this time the shortstop was able to stay on his feet and deliver a laser to first in time to get the runner and end the inning.
China Spring will face Lufkin Hudson in area round.
Palestine finishes the season 13-13, making the playoffs for the first time since 2005.
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David Ash is a sports reporter for the Waco Tribune-Herald
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Sports editor Justin Rains contributed to this report
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