MCKINNEY — The “We want Round Rock” chants began entering the top of the seventh inning. Lovejoy fans had an inkling their baseball team would be making that trip down I-35 next week.
Four runs in the bottom of the fourth inning powered Lovejoy (29–7–2) to a 6-2 win over Forney in Game 2 of the best-of-3 Class 5A Region II final series on Thursday night at Al Alford Field. With the win, Lovejoy completed a series sweep and advanced to the state tournament for the first time in program history. In Game 1 on Wednesday night, Lovejoy pulled out an 8-5 win over Forney (31–13–1) after finishing the sixth inning tied at four and scoring four runs in the top of the seventh.
Next week, Lovejoy will play one of either the winner of the Leander Rouse-McAllen Memorial series, the winner of the Grapevine-Argyle series or the winner of the Lake Creek-Magnolia West series in the state semifinal at Dell Diamond in Round Rock.
Argyle, the Class 5A state runner-up in 2023, defeated district mate Grapevine 1-0 in Game 1 of the best-of-3 Class 5A Region I final series.
Pitcher Logan Corley thrived on Thursday, giving up four hits and two runs, while walking one and striking out eight through seven innings on the mound. Corley also went 1-for-2 at bat, drawing a walk and driving in one run. Oklahoma pledge Kyle Branch finished 2-for-4 hitting with two scored runs and also had an RBI.
Braden Smith scored on a passed ball in the bottom of the first inning to give Lovejoy a 1-0 lead. That run came after a double from leadoff hitter Corley and a single from Branch. Branch slid to home plate from third base after Asher Lacy grounded out to extend Lovejoy’s advantage to 2-0 headed into the top of the second inning.
Forney scored its first run of the game in the top of the third inning after Dylan Clark grounded out and Cal Salazar advanced to home plate from third. Salazar tripled in the top of the third inning.
Forney’s Chris Germanos grounded into a fielder’s choice, setting up a run and tying the game at two in the top of the fourth inning.
Lovejoy soon took 4-2 lead in the bottom of the fourth when Aarren Marshall scored after Corley went out on a sacrifice fly and Parker McGrael crossed home plate following a single from Branch.
That same inning, Branch scored on a Forney error and Dylan Sears scored on a throw after Reese Odgen singled to make the score 6-2 Lovejoy.
Forney, which survived three playoff series that went to three games, last appeared at the state tournament in 2018, when it lost to Northwest Eaton 4-1 in the Class 5A state championship game.
Myah Taylor
Argyle 1, Grapevine 0: Alex D’Angelo pitched a two-hit shutout and struck out eight to help Argyle defeat Grapevine 1-0 in Game 1 of the best-of-3 series for the Class 5A Region I title and a state tournament berth Thursday night before a capacity crowd at L.D. Bell’s Nathan F. Danford Field.
“Playing in state championship games the last two years calmed my nerves,’’ said D’Angelo, a senior left-hander headed to Weatherford College.
“He’s been our No. 1 since Day 1 and that’s the way he has pitched in the playoffs,’’ said Argyle coach Ricky Griffin. “This was a game we had to have because we threw our No. 1 and Grapevine threw their No. 3.
Grapevine’s Luke Schreyer did not look like a No. 3 pitcher, limiting Argyle to six hits and one run while striking out nine.
Argyle (30-7-2), a state finalist in the two seasons and No. 6 in the state poll, is seeking its seventh state tournament appearance and its fourth state title.
Grapevine (36-5), No. 2 in the Class 5A state coaches’ poll and No. 14 nationally by MaxPreps, is trying to reach the state tournament for the first time in seven years and third time overall.
Dallas Baptist signee Colton Roquemore, one of seven returning starters from last year’s state finalist, broke up a scoreless duel with a two-out RBI single in the top of the fifth for a 1-0 Argyle lead. Brodey McConnico singled to center to lead off the fifth and Ian Burrows’ sacrifice bunt gave Argyle its fifth runner in scoring position.
Second baseman Roquemore made an outstanding defensive play in the seventh inning and D’Angelo ended the game on a strikeout with the a runner at second base.
Grapevine got runners into scoring position in the third, sixth and seventh inning. Zakery Goldstein and Lale Esquivel had hits for the Mustangs.
Roquemore and Grady Emerson had two hits for Argyle.
Grapevine and Argyle finished 1-2 in District 7-5A and split a pair of district games. Argyle won 5-1 at Grapevine and three days later Grapevine responded with an 11-1 victory at Argyle.
Game 2 is set for 7 p.m. Friday and if a third game is needed, would begin at 1 p.m. Saturday with all games at Bell.
Randy Jennings
Flower Mound 5, Richardson Pearce 4: Thanks to Josh Glaser having perseverance in his pitching, and a little pop in his bat, Flower Mound is one win away from a return trip to the state tournament.
After a sluggish start, Glaser pitched a complete game with 12 strikeouts and had a hand in the winning run in the bottom of the seventh inning as Flower Mound edged Richardson J.J. Pearce 5-4 in Game 1 of the best-of-three Class 6A Region I final series at McKinney Boyd’s Bronco Field. Glaser gave up four runs in the second inning, but the Texas State commit regrouped to retire the final 14 Pearce batters in a row, using a biting curveball for eight consecutive strikeouts. Glaser allowed three earned runs, six hits and two walks.
Flower Mound completed a rally from a 4-0 deficit in the bottom of the seventh when Texas A&M commit Sam Erickson hit a one-out single to left, stole second and came home with two outs when Glaser hit a hot shot that Pearce shortstop Vince Villegas couldn’t grab.
Flower Mound tied the game up at 4-all with two runs in the sixth, starting with a solo homer to left by Texas A&M commit Adrian Rodriguez. Zane Becker followed with a walk. His courtesy runner, Kyle Conne, stole second and eventually scored on a sacrifice fly to right by Sam Distel.
Flower Mound (39-4) – the top-ranked team in The Dallas Morning News’ Class 6A area poll and the THSBCA 6A state poll and No. 5 in the nation – has to win either Friday or Saturday to return to state, and defend its 6A state title. It’s the third time unranked Pearce (29-18) has lost the opening game of a playoff series this year, rallying to defeat McKinney Boyd in the area round and Arlington Martin in the region quarterfinals to advance. Game 2 is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Friday at Riders Field in Frisco
Pearce had its first four batters in the second reach base and score. The runs came courtesy of a two-run single to left by Nash Hornberger, a safety-squeeze bunt by Sam Kinder and run-scoring single to center by Natanael Melendez.
Flower Mound got a run back in the bottom of the second when courtesy runner Conne scored on a Pearce throwing error. Pearce’s lead was cut to 4-2 in the third on a two-out, RBI bloop single down the right-field line by Becker.
Pearce starting pitcher and McLennan Community College commit A.J. Ripley had four strikeouts over five innings while allowing two earned runs, five hits and two walks in picking up a no-decision. Navarro College Degan Kubat took the loss in relief.
Pearce’s Carson Bailey was the lone multi-hit batter in the game, going 2-for-3. Rodriguez’s homer was the lone extra-base hit of the game.
Rick Kretzschmar
Texarkana Liberty-Eylau 7, Celina 6: Game 1 of Celina’s 4A Region II final series against Texarkana Liberty-Eylau ended in heartbreak.
Liberty-Eylau’s Gabe Jarvis doubled in the bottom of the seventh inning, driving in two runs and giving his team the 7-6 win over Celina (36–6) on Thursday night at Winnsboro High School. The win gives Liberty-Eylau the 1-0 advantage in the best-of-3 series.
Celina took a 6-5 lead in the top of the seventh inning when Major Brignon singled and drove in two runs. Gavin Reed and Brignon each had two RBIs. Reed finished 2-for-3 at bat and scored one run.
Evan Rice pitched 5 ⅓ innings for Celina, allowing five hits and three runs while striking out six.
Celina meets Liberty-Eylau for Game 2 of the series at 6 p.m. on Friday at Winnsboro High School.
This series marks the third consecutive year the two programs have met in the playoffs. Liberty-Eylau eliminated Celina in the regional finals of last year’s playoffs. In 2022, Celina beat Liberty-Eylau in the regional semifinals en route to a state tournament bid.
Myah Taylor
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