MUMFORD — The Thrall Tigers varsity baseball team swept the Elkhart Elks in a doubleheader on Saturday, May 3, to secure a bi-district championship and advance to the area round of the playoffs.
Game 1
Thrall’s offense exploded early in a 15-2 run-rule victory, scoring nine runs in the bottom of the first inning. Sophomore Weston Smiley got the scoring started with a two-RBI triple.
The Tigers tacked on runs with an error, an RBI single from senior Ethan Boecker, and an RBI triple by senior Ty Matthews to make it 5-0. Seniors Hayden Heselmeyer and Maverick McAllister followed with back-to-back triples, and a walk capped the inning to give Thrall a 9-0 lead.
Elkhart got on the board with an RBI single in the top of the second, but Thrall responded with a sacrifice fly in the bottom half to reach double digits at 10-1. The Elks scored their final run on a groundout in the third.
Thrall added three more runs in the fourth, with RBI singles from sophomores Gus Navejas and Jack Gustafson, followed by a two-RBI triple from senior Nick Trueter. The game ended in the fifth via run rule.
McAllister earned the win on the mound, allowing two runs and striking out four over four innings.
Gustafson led the Tigers at the plate, going 3-for-3 with two RBIs.
Game 2
The Tigers continued their dominance in Game 2 with a 16-0 shutout.
Thrall jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning on an RBI single from McAllister and a sacrifice fly. The Tigers broke the game open in the second with four consecutive doubles, extending the lead to 6-0.
In the third, Thrall plated five more runs on an RBI single by Matthews, an RBI double from Heselmeyer, another sacrifice fly, and backto- back RBI singles from Heselmeyer and Smiley, making it 11-0.
The Tigers closed out the game in the fourth with five more runs, fueled by a walk, a wild pitch, a sacrifice fly, and a two-RBI single from Trueter.
Junior Bryce Brinkmeyer earned the win, throwing five scoreless innings with five strikeouts while allowing just one hit. Heselmeyer led at the plate, going 3-for-3 with three RBIs.
Up next
Thrall advances to the area round, where it will face West in a best-of-three series. Game 1 is scheduled for Thursday, May 8, at 5 p.m., with Game 2 beginning 30 minutes after the conclusion of Game 1.
A third game, if needed, will take place at 6 p.m. Saturday. All games will be played at Salado High School.
