Bearcats will battle New Deal in Abilene and Snyder for regional semifinal title

Bearcats knock off defending region one champ

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BY RUSSELL HUFFMAN
TheFlashToday.com

Pack up the snacks and gas up your vehicle if you are planning on witnessing DeLeon’s continued onslaught in the Class 2-A baseball playoffs as the Bearcats have a pair of road trips this weekend against New Deal.

DeLeon swept defending region one champion Albany over the weekend, but it was by far their greatest test in the playoffs as they defeated the Lions in extra innings 1-0 in game one and came from behind in game two for a 6-5 win.

That’s a huge contrast from their bi-district and area titles where they beat Haskell by a combined run total of 30-6 (18-4, 12-2) and Fort Hancock 15-1.

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Game two against Albany came with a little bit of controversy in the first inning when a grand-slam home run by Albany was the subject of scrutiny because one umpire ruled the hit a foul and was overruled. The homer being counted lifted the Lions to an early 5-0 lead.

“We work and not getting too high or too low,” Coach Reggie Patrick said. “That way when adversity comes we don’t get down, Instead we stay right in the middle, and when we get the opportunities we make the most of them.”

The Bearcats’ opportunity knocked in the fourth inning as a couple of free bases via the hit-by-pitch method loaded the bases. Bryce Whiteley scored on a sacrifice squeeze bunt from Jake Sanders to highlight the five-run inning that notched the score at 5-5.

Kevin Yeager was the starter on the mound for the Bearcats and struck out four batters and gave up just one walk. The game’s first inning was rocky for him but he more than made up for it in the sixth inning. It was in that stanza he rapped an RBI single that gave the Bearcats a 6-5 lead they would cling to win the game.

Sanders ended up with the win (second of series) for the Bearcats as his relief effort featured four-hitless innings and striking out six batters.

Game one DeLeon 1, Albany 0

Blake Bellomy’s two-out single in the eighth scored Yeager and DeLeon game away with a 1-0 eight-inning series-opening win against the Lions.

Whiteley was the Bearcats starter pitching 6.1 innings allowing just four hits and no runs. Sanders got his first win of the series in relief pitching hitless ball the remainder of the way.

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On The Road

DeLeon fans will have to skip or beg off work if they hope to see game one of the Bearcats regional semifinal series against New Deal. Game one is scheduled for noon Friday at McMurry University in Abilene and admission is $8 for adult and $5 for students. Game two is set for noon in Snyder and if a game three is needed it will follow 30 minutes later. Admission for Saturday’s contest is $5 for adults and $3 for students.

  

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