DISASTEROUS 7TH SINKS CUBS IN QUARTERFINAL OPENER
Under dark, overcast skies in Georgetown, lightning struck the Brenham Cubs in the top of the seventh inning, as Tomball Memorial (18-13) downed the Cubs (21-9), 5-2 in the opener of the Region Quarterfinal.
The two District 19/5A foes engaged in a fast-moving well-played pitchers’ duel between Cubs’ starter Blake Wellmann and the Wildcats’ Austin Kelly.
With the score tied 0-0 in the bottom of the sixth, the Cubs’ Jacob Stegent delivered what appeared to be a game-winning, two-out, two-run single.
Stegent’s heroics came on a 1-2 pitch, plating Zach Barnes and pinch-runner Tyler Morgan. Barnes walked to lead off the inning, while Morgan was running for Sam McElreath who’d doubled with one out.
In the top of the seventh, however, the Wildcats’ Gavin Shukanes drove home a run with a one-out single. A Cubs’ throwing error then placed the tying run on third, which came home on pinch-hitter Leo Leal’s suicide squeeze.
Trey Bills gave Memorial their first lead with a run-scoring single off Cub reliever Dylan Lester. Brylnan Elmore then provided the Wildcats with some insurance with a two-run double.
Kelly retired the Cubs in order in the bottom of the seventh, sealing the Wildcats’ win.
“I’m so disappointed,” said Cubs head coach Lanny Williams following the loss. “We have to make plays in a game like this. We can’t play like we did and expect to win.”
“We went into the top of the seventh and some of our guys are thinking the game was over. A team like that (Memorial) is not going to just roll over and give it to us.”
“We’ve got to make plays…and we’ve got to do a better job of coming up with hits when we need them. We can’t leave men on base in a close game.”
Williams says the Cubs’ task is simple, “we have to go to Tomball and sweep them or the season’s over. It’s that simple. We have to win or the season’s over.”
The Cubs will travel to Tomball for game-two and possibly game-three, Friday night beginning at 5:30.
The game(s) can be heard live on KWHI and www.kwhi.com beginning with the pre-game show at 5:00.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E | |
| WILDCATS | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 0 |
| CUBS | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 2 |
| Cubs Pitching | IP | #P | H | R | ER | BB | K |
| Blake Wellmann | 6.1 | 82 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Dylan Lester L (7-3) | 0.2 | 14 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Cubs Batting | AB | R | H | RBI | BB |
| Jaquay Cross | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Sam McElreath | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Tyler Morgan | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jacob Stegent | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| Zack Barnes | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
2B: Sam McElreath
| Wildcats Pitching | IP | #P | H | R | ER | BB | K |
| Austin Kelley W | 7.0 | 79 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 5 |
| Wildcats Batting | AB | R | H | RBI | BB |
| Trey Bills | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Ethan Greiner | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Brylan Elmore | 4 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| Jace Robinson | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Kyle Larsen | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Gavin Shukanes | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Ethan Greiner | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Leo Leal | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
2B: B Elmore
OTHER REGION III/5A QUARTRERFINALS
KINGWOOD PARK vs. FORT BEND ELKINS, 2 of 3
GAME-1, KINGWOOD PARK 3 ELKINS 0
GAME-2, TONIGHT, 7:00 @ SWEEENY
GAME-3, TOMORROW, 2:00 @ DEER PARK
TOMBALL vs. COLLEGE STATION, 2 of 3
GAME-1, TOMBALL 4 COLLEGE STATION 3
GAME-2/3, TOMORROW, NOON @ THE WOODLANDS
RIDGE POINT vs. CROSBY, 2 of 3
GAME-1, CROSBY 9 RIDGE POINT 0
GAME-2, TONIGHT, 7:30 @ LaPORTE
GAME-3, TOMORROW, 1:00 @ LaPORTE