Bay City, Pearland still in hunt
From staff reportsThe Facts
Published May 16, 2007Heading into the region quarterfinal round of the high school baseball playoffs, Pearland and Bay City have yet to lose in the postseason.The Class 5A Oilers (26-8) and Class 4A Blackcats (24-9) each swept their first two series. Pearland got by Fort Bend Clements and Beaumont West Brook, while Bay City claimed wins over Friendswood and Little Cypress-Mauriceville. Pearland next will try to get by Fort Bend Elkins in a three-game series. The Oilers will visit the Knights for a 7:30 p.m. Thursday night contest, while Elkins will visit Pearland on Friday at the same time. If there is a third game, it will be at 7:30 p.m. Saturday in Manvel.In four playoff games, the Pearland offense has accounted for 32 runs. In their Game 1 win over West Brook, the Oilers pounded out 17 hits and held on for a 10-9 win. Elkins might be a tired team after both of its series wins over Clear Brook and La Porte went three games. The Knights offense has shown to be effective, though, scoring double-digit runs in two wins over La Porte. Pitcher Rex Garner has been effective, throwing for 63 strikeouts and posting an 8-1 record. His ERA is .088. Zack Wagner is the leader on offense with 29 RBI, while Blake Bradbury is batting .444. The winner of this series will face Houston Memorial or Cypress Fairbanks.In Class 4A, Bay City has been a giant killer, knocking off the No. 7 team in Class 4A in Little Cypress and opening the postseason with a sweep of Friendswood.Now the Blackcats will face Barbers HIll, the No. 8 team in the Texas High School Baseball Association poll, in a three-game series at Manvel. Game 1 is 7 p.m. Thursday and the second game is set for 7 p.m. Friday. If there is a third game, it will be at 2 p.m. SaturdayPitcher Shaun Rutherford has figured in three of the first four wins for Bay City with a win or a save. But it was sophomore Travis Tomek who put the finishing touches on Little Cypress with a two-hitter in their clinching series win, an 8-0 decision Friday. Bay City lost its first game of the season to Barbers Hill, 1-0. Barbers Hill has a few sluggers in the lineup, including Ross Hales who is hitting .520 with 15 RBI and Colby Townley at .478 with 19 RBI. At least seven other hitters are batting above the .300 mark coming into the series. The winner will move on to face either Crockett or Montgomery.