Baseball regional quarterfinals: Benbrook, Boswell, Keller sweep, more from Fort Worth-area

Benbrook’s hitless streak ends in sweep of Aubrey

The Benbrook pitching staff had gone 19 innings without giving up a hit, tossing three consecutive no-hitters. But more importantly, the Bobcats were looking to advance in the Class 4A state baseball playoffs.

The first batter in the game for Aubrey got a solid single to end the no-hit streak, but Benbrook defeated the Chaparrals 7-1 in Game 2 of their 4A Region II quarterfinal at the Coppell Ninth Grade Campus to sweep the series.

Benbrook (30-6-1) will now face Texarkana Liberty-Eylau (27-8-1) in the Region II semifinals next week. Liberty-Eylau defeated Paris North Lamar 10-2 in a one-game playoff on Friday.

This isn’t the furthest the Bobcats have ever advanced in the state playoffs, but it is the furthest since a regional final appearance in 2019. Benbrook’s 30 wins is a high mark for the program.

Aubrey (16-20-1) got a solid single to right field by Diego Tagliaferro to lead off the bottom of the first to end the no-hit streak, but starting pitcher Sebastian Martinez went on to pitch a gem.

“If they’re going to get a hit early on then it’s better to just get it out of the way and move on,” said Benbrook coach Justin Chavez. “It is what it is and after that we were able to just go out and play baseball again.”

Sebastian Martinez scattered four hits in six innings of work walking three and striking out 12. Sebastian Martinez, a sophomore, allowed one unearned run in the second inning before striking out the final two with two runners on base.

“There’s nothing I love more than just watching my pitchers being successful,” said Benbrook catcher Giulianno Martinez, Sebastian’s brother. “He’s the most humble guy that I’ve ever met, talking as a brother. He’s amazing and I couldn’t be more proud of him. I love him to death and love catching him.”

Benbrook scored all of the runs they would need in the top of the second. Ethan Smith led off with a solid single to center and a sacrifice bunt by Santiago Cruz was thrown away by the Aubrey pitcher allowing Smith to score and Cruz to pull in at second.

Another sacrifice bunt by Jaeden Powell moved Cruz to third where Kade Cross drove him home with a ground single to right. Cross scored later in the inning on a wild pitch to make it 3-0 Bobcats.

A pivotal point in the game came in the bottom of the third. With Benbrook up 3-1 Ryan McMeen led off for Aubrey with a scorched liner to the gap in left center for a triple.

Sebastian Martinez struck out the next three hitters, however, to keep the lead for the Bobcats.

“He’s a bulldog,” said Chavez of Sebastian Martinez. “He’s going to challenge you and compete. He’s going to throw the fastball and he expects to win the battle.”

Benbrook scored three more times in the sixth, highlighted by a deep double to left by Powell who drove in two. Powell moved to second on a wild pitch and scored when Cross lofted a fly ball to left for a sacrifice fly.

Cruz capped the scoring in the top of the seventh with a single to left over third base, breaking his aluminum bat in the process, that scored Sebastian Martinez who had walked earlier.

The Bobcats are playing with an extremely high level all around and doing the little things that lead to wins. Benbrook has outscored its opponents 31-5 in the playoffs so far and the pitching staff has allowed only three earned runs.

“Our pitchers have been unbelievable in these playoffs,” said Powell, the only senior on the team. “Three consecutive no hitters so we have to give a lot of credit to them. At the plate, we’re just trying to get the job done and get the next guy on and get runs and win every inning.”

Boswell sweeps Midland Legacy in comeback fashion

Fort Worth Boswell had to rally in both games of it’s Class 6A Region I quarterfinal against Midland Legacy but got the job done both times with a 2-1 win in Game 1 on Thursday and a 6-4 victory in Game 2 on Friday at Tarleton State University.

Boswell (31-6) advances to the regional semifinals and will face either Arlington Martin (23-12) or Richardson Pearce (25-15) next week.

In Game 1, Legacy (20-19-1) scored a run in the bottom of the third and it held until the sixth inning when the Pioneers score once in the sixth and once in the seventh to take the win.

Xander Thacker led off the sixth with a lined single to left and later scored on an infield groundout by Coby McBride. In the seventh a walk to Johann Infante and an infield single by Trent Prosperi set up a Josiah Wooten sacrifice fly to make it 2-1.

Chase Pockrus got the Rebels in order in the bottom of the seventh. Pockrus got the complete-game win scattering four hits with one walk and five strikeouts.

In Game 2, Legacy built a 4-0 lead at the end of three innings only to have Boswell explode for six runs in the bottom of the fourth. McBride and Pockrus both had singles in the inning that plated two runs each.

Brody Bradley got the win for the Pioneers tossing four and a third innings of relief allowing one hit, no runs, while walking one and striking out four.

Keller thumps district rival Southlake Carroll in sweep

Keller and Southlake Carroll split two close, low scoring games during District 4-6A play, but the Indians brought out the sticks in their Class 6A Region I quarterfinal series winning 10-0 in five innings on Thursday and 10-1 on Friday to sweep the series at Hurst L.D. Bell High School.

Keller (26-11-1) scored in all five innings of the run-rule shortened Game 1 with Cole Koeninger leading the way going 3-for-4 with a homer and two doubles. Koeninger drove in two and scored three times.

Bach Hartwig went 3-for-3 with a double, an RBI and two runs scored for the Indians. Christopher Langley handcuffed the Dragons on the mound going five innings allowing two hits, no walks and striking out six.

In Game 2, Keller jumped on Carroll (26-13) from the start scoring six runs in the top of the first. Landry Stamps had the big hit in the inning with a bases clearing double.

Stamps finished 1-for-3 with the three RBI and two runs scored. Right fielder Jackson Ridge went 2-for-4 for the Indians with two RBI and two runs scored.

Mason Cook picked up the win on the mound for Keller allowing three hits in six innings, giving up one earned, walking two and striking out eight. Hays Melville came up with one of the three hits for Carroll and drove in the only run of the series for the Dragons.

Keller will face Flower Mound (36-3) in the regional semifinals next week. Flower Mound swept Prosper 1-0 and 5-3.

Results

Arlington Martin (24-13) vs. Richardson Pearce (26-16)

G1: Martin 5, Pearce 0

G2: Pearce 4, Martin 3

G3: 3:15 p.m. Saturday, Dallas Baptist University

Rockwall-Heath (32-7) d. Mansfield Legacy (22-15-1)

G1: Rockwall-Heath 11, Legacy 8

G2: Rockwall-Heath 5, Legacy 1

Grapevine (33-4) d. Wichita Falls Rider (26-11)

G1: Grapevine 3, Rider 1

G2: Grapevine 4, Rider 0

Argyle (24-7-2) vs. Aledo (26-12-1)

G1: Argyle 2, Aledo 0 (8)

G2: noon Saturday, Southlake Carroll HS

G3: 30 minutes following G2*

Krum (22-9-2) vs. Stephenville (25-10-1)

G1: Stephenville 3, Krum 1

G2: noon Saturday, Railroaders Stadium, Cleburne

G3: 30 minutes following G2*

Springtown (24-8) d. Decatur (25-11)

G1: Springtown 5, Decatur 4

G2: Springtown 7, Decatur 6