photo credit, youtube.com
Hope shapes up after rough first inning, a pair of four-run innings lead Highlanders
Round Rock – In a season of scoring runs in bunches, last week Highlander fans watched the Woodlands score 25 runs in the 5A Region II Finals in which Rock Wall led the Woodlands in all three games of the best-of-three series, but couldn’t manage to pull off the upset, losing two-of-three.
In the top of the first inning Dulles led 2-0 after Nick Hernandez 2-RBI single up the middle. However the Woodlands, similar to most of its season, stormed back, using a pair four-run innings and the pitching of Carter Hope to help defeat the Vikings 9-5 on Saturday evening at the Dell Diamond.
The title marks the first since claiming the mythical national championship in 2006 which gives it a total of three crowns.
Hope, the MVP of the game was drafted by the Kansas City Royals, surrendered two runs, off two hits to go with nine strikeouts and a complete game performance.
While Hope struggled in the top of the first, the Vikings took advantage when Eric Johnson was hit by a pitch, Darryn Sheppard walked while both advanced a base after a sacrifice. Nick Hernandez single up the middle, emptied the bases to give Dulles a 2-0 lead which only stood for the top frame.
We knew it would be nerves on both sides coming in said Woodland Coach Ron Eastman. But Hope came out with a lot of nerve and answered the Vikings while his offense put up a four spot in the bottom of the first inning.
The Woodlands (38-4) responded with four runs in the bottom of the first. Chris Andritsos, Blaine Gillespie and Josh Shaw all had run scoring hits.
Later, Highlanders would piece together yet another four run inning to put the game out of reach.
Sheppard’s seventh inning three-run homer tighten the score 9-5 but that’s as close as Dulles (32-8) would come.
All wasn’t lost said Dulles coach Clinton Welch who was proud of his teams’ accomplishments on the season.
The Woodlands led by as many as seven runs, holding a 9-2 advantage leading up to the seventh inning.
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