STEPHENVILLE – In the midst of their best season in program history, including their first district championship and first trip to the third round of the playoffs, the May Tigers hit a stumbling block in the opening game of their Region I-A baseball semifinals series against a familiar foe.
In a game delayed two hours by a bomb threat at Stephenville High School, one bad inning proved too costly for May to overcome in a 7-4 loss to the Gorman Panthers Thursday, a team the Tigers knocked off twice in District 7-A action earlier this season.
Games 2 and 3, if needed, of the series between District 7 champion May (16-5) and District 7 runner-up Gorman will begin at 3 p.m Saturday back at Stephenville High School.
May grabbed a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning as Bryson Guerrero led off with a single against Gorman winning pitcher Joseph Rainey, who struck out 10 and scattered six hits. After stealing second base, Guerrero scored on a one-out RBI double to right field by Lane Goodson.
Goodson later led off the third inning with a double but was stranded at third base, still the Tigers maintained control behind a solid pitching outing from Luke McKenzie, who gave up just one hit and struck out two over the first three innings.
The game abruptly turned in the bottom of the fourth inning, however, as Gorman struck for all seven of its runs, despite collecting just three hits in the frame. The Panthers’ fourth started with a walk by Nashton Guthery, a single by Rainey and another walk by Maddox Roberts to load the bases. Hayden Clark was then plunked by a pitch to drive in the tying run, and Goodson took over in relief of McKenzie on the mound for May at that point.
Rainey scored on a wild pitch prior to Erik Ramirez hitting into a fielder’s choice at second base, but the throw home was off target resulting in a 3-1 lead for Gorman. Isaac Herrera then delivered an RBI ground out for a 4-1 edge. Nathan Rodriguez reached on an error that allowed the fifth run to score before Goodson recorded a strikeout for the second out of the frame. Preston Parson then reached when outfielders collided, allowing the sixth run to score. Guthery singled and Rainey walked again to load the sacks, where Roberts singled up the middle to plate the seventh run, but the final out was recorded at the plate trying to further extend the lead.
May clawed back with two runs in the top of the fifth inning as Hagan Hester led off with an infield single, Goodson followed with a one-out RBI triple, and McKenzie delivered an RBI single.
Trailing 7-3 in the seventh, Goodson walked with one out, was balked to second, then stole third base. Goodson was caught off third base following a wild throw down to the bag on the steal attempt and was trapped in a rundown, but a dropped ball near home plate allowed Goodson to dive home with May’s final run of the contest.
Guthery, however, retired the next two May batters to end any hopes of a rally.
The winner of the series will face either District 2 champion Nazareth or District 2 runner-up Claude in the Region I-A championship round, with a berth in the state tournament at stake. Nazareth won Game 1 of that series, 8-4, Thursday night.
