Video: California team wins 2-Day, 19-inning game
See the marathon that started Friday and ended Saturday afternoon.
Houston-area teams captured baseball titles in three of five divisions at the TAPPS state baseball tournament last week at Concordia University in Austin.
Leading the way in the largest division was perennial power St. Thomas (Houston) with a championship in the division for largest schools. It is the 24th state title overall for the Eagles and the eighth as a member of TAPPS.
Division III champion Lubbock Christian (Lubbock) won its third consecutive state crown. Rosehill Christian (Tomball) took its second title in succession.
Here is a look at the 2017 title games:
Division I
St. Thomas Catholic (Houston) 15, Kelly Catholic (Beaumont) 1Third baseman
Logan Bear drove in six runs and
Owen Meaney knocked in three more to help St. Thomas (34-3) to its fourth state title since 2010.
Simen Borland (9-1) was the winning pitcher. St. Thomas finished the season with a 12-game winning streak including a tense 1-0 semifinal victory over Parish Episcopal (Dallas). Meaney, an LSU pledge, threw a one-hit shutout and drove in the game‘s only run in that game. Kelly Catholic reached the title game with a 1-0 semifinal victory over Concordia Lutheran (Tomball).
Division II
Emery/Weiner (Houston) 6, Fort Worth Christian (North Richland Hills) 4Trailing 4-3 in the top of the seventh,
Jordan Hudson delivered a two-run single to earn Emery/Weiner a title in its first state tournament appearance.
Ryan Sampson gave Fort Worth Christian a 4-3 lead in the fifth inning with an RBI hit. In the semifinal round, Emery/Weiner defeated Second Baptist (Houston) 3-1, while Fort Worth Christian had a 5-1 victory over Grapevine Faith Christian (Grapevine).
Fort Worth Christian fell to Emery/Weiner 6-4.
Photo by Kyle Dantzler
Division III
Lubbock Christian 11, The Woodlands Christian Academy (The Woodlands) 4Lubbock Christian clinched its third consecutive state crown and winning pitcher
Jaden Fowler has been a part of all three. The Woodlands Christian advanced to the title game with a 4-3 win over Northland Christian (Houston). Lubbock Christian blanked Lake Country Christian (Fort Worth) 11-0 in the other semifinal.
Division IV
Rosehill Christian (Tomball) 11, Dallas Lutheran (Dallas) 0Ryan McWhirter went 3-for-3 with two triples and four RBIs to lead the Rosehill Christian attack. Dallas Lutheran was held to three hits. In the semifinal round, Rosehill squeezed past First Baptist Christian (Pasadena) 5-4 and Lutheran eliminated Harvest Christian (Watauga) 8-3.
Division V
Christian Heritage (Longview) 3, Brazosport Christian (Lake Jackson) 2In a pitcher's duel,
Geoffrey Trauger came on top, pitching a complete-game, three-hitter with six strikeouts to lead Christian Heritage. He also went 3-for-3 at the plate. The Sentinels broke a 2-all deadlock with a run in the sixth.
Trey Barnhart pitched a strong game for Brazosport Christian. Christian Heritage reached the title game with a 6-1 victory over Ovilla Christian (Red Oak). Brazosport Christian edged Covenant Christian (Conroe) 2-1 in the other semifinal.