Yoe opens 20-3A play with dramatic win over Jarrell

20-3A has always been regarded as one of the better baseball districts across Central Texas and the entire state. With the deep amount of quality teams, each and every game tends to go down to the wire. We got one of those ball games on Tuesday night at the Yards of Cameron as the Yoemen won in walk-off fashion against the Jarrell Cougars, 2-1.

The storyline of the district opener was both pitchers each going the distance. Both Jason Llanas of Cameron (7-3, 1-0) (7 IP, 3 H, 1 R 0 ER, 6 K) and Forrest Bell of Jarrell (7-2, 0-1) (6.1 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 8 B) both had outstanding pitching lines.

“I thought Jarrell’s guy did a great job tonight,” said Yoe head baseball coach John Broussard. “He threw three pitches for strikes and he kept us off balance and did a great job. I thought Llanas matched him just as well. They scratched one early and I’m proud of our guys for fighting back and ended up getting the win in the last inning.”

Jarrell scored one run in the top of the first inning and that score held up until the very end.

The bottom of the seventh started with clean-up batter Caden Harris drawing a walk on four pitches. Bryce Brashear then stepped to the plate and hit a groundball to short, but the throw was not handled at second and both runners were safe. Moments later, a wild pitch had the tying run at third and winning run at second with nobody out. Catcher Alex Alonso hit a tapper to Bell on the mound, but the tall right-hander overthrew the first baseman, allowing pinch-runner Bryce Welsh to score and advance Brashear to third.

After a strikeout, Brandon Wilkins was intentionally walked to setup the force out at home plate. Nine-hole hitter Keaton Hundle proceeded to shoot a hard ground ball deep in the hole at short. The force out was made at second but Hundle’s speed beat out the throw at first, allowing Brashear to score and end the game.

“I was trying to hit the first fastball,” said Hundle on his approach at the plate. “If they were going to throw a fastball, you have to jump on it and drive in the run.” Bell did and Hundle delivered.

“It was a big win,” added Hundle. “It is the first district game and you have to come out strong and finish strong. It’s going to be a good season.”

After the game, Broussard noted how this could be a sign of things to come throughout the rest of district play.

“Every Tuesday and Friday is a playoff game really. If you make it out of the district and into the playoffs, I think you are well prepared because of how competitive it is. We have to go back to work fix what we’re doing wrong.”

Other 20-3A scores: Rogers 2, Franklin 0; Academy 9, Rockdale 1. Hearne does not have a varsity baseball team, so Lexington had the night off.