SAN ANGELO, TX -- The Central Bobcats opened District 3-6A with a 2-0 win over Weatherford at Donsky Field thanks to a three-hit gem from senior southpaw Trey Neslage.
"He had his pitches working," head coach Patrick Penry said. "The wind behind him always helps that lefty curve. He was bringing it in there, he was filling the strike zone. He gave us a great opportunity."
Neslage went the distance for the complete game shutout, where he allowed just three hits against four strike outs. The senior didn't go into detail, but said this performance came after his life "came to a halt" the night before.
"I stayed up all night. I was worrying. I was a nervous wreck," the senior said. "I wasn't playing for that person, I was playing for the boys behind me."
Neslage, who wants to strike every batter out, wasn't happy with his performance, but was proud of the defense behind him. They recorded 17 of the 21 outs in the game.
"[Weatherford] hit the ball, they got the ball down really well," Neslage said. "I'm just blessed to have a great group of eight guys behind me to make the plays and everything like that."
The two teams went through the first five innings scoreless. Central had a chance to break the deadlock in the bottom of the fifth inning when Oscar Nino made a break for home. He was tagged out as he was sliding into home, which then sparked some controversy between Nino and the Weatherford catcher.
"It got a little exciting there for a little bit," Penry said. "When you play competitive ball, sometimes that kinda stuff happens. That team is a phenomenal team ... It's just two competitive, really good ball clubs going at it."
Central would then break the scoreless tie in the bottom of the sixth inning after Rance Rosas forced an error and Jakob Charles came around on the same play. Two batters later, Gunner Couch drove Rosas in to put Central up 2-0 heading into the final inning.
"We always preach, from the very first day of practice, always expect the next play and our guys did," head coach Patrick Penry said. "We had about four or five next play opportunities that went our way."
Central could manage just four hits in the pitcher's duel. Rosas and Couch each had one hit. Nino and Hayden Stevens had the other two.
Couch had the lone RBI for the Bobcats.
Central (13-6-1, 1-0) will look to sweep Weatherford on the road this Friday.
Heuertz's Gem Powers No. 2 Wall to Run Rule Win Over Sonora
The no. 2-ranked Wall Hawks kept their bats and pitching red-hot in a 14-0 win over Sonora in five innings on Tuesday.
Junior Caleb Heuertz threw four shutout innings for the Hawks and allowed just one hit and a walk with 10 strikeouts to get the win on the mound. Baylor Halfmann threw a perfect inning of relief with one strikeout.
Sonora held Wall to just one run in the bottom of the first before the Hawks exploded in the second.
Wall then sent 14 batters to the plate to score nine runs in the second. Sophomore Kye Hebert highlighted the inning with a three-run home run to right field.
Wall put a four spot on Sonora in the next inning to cap off their scoring. Tanner Seider picked up the scoring with a solo home run in the inning.
Hebert's home run was his only hit of the game. Gage Weishuhn went 2-for-3 with a pair of RBIs and a run scored. Jake Jansa was 2-for-3 with two RBIs and three runs scored.
Daniel Gonzales picked up the lone hit for the Broncos. Dylan Taylor drew the only walk.
Wall (16-0, 2-0) travels to Grape Creek this Thursday while Sonora (9-2, 1-1) will host TLCA this Friday in a rematch of last year's District 4-3A play-in game.
Big First Inning, Baronet's Dominance Helps Brady Cruise Past TLCA
The Brady Bulldogs used a 12-run first inning and Kasen Baronet's dominant pitching to cruise to a 19-0 win over TLCA in five innings on Tuesday.
The Bulldogs sent 16 batters to the plate in that first inning.
Baronet went the full five innings, allowing just two hits with eight strikeouts to get the win for the Bulldogs. Baronet helped his own cause by going 2-for-4 at the plate with a pair of RBIs.
Walker Bauer was the center of Brady's offensive explosion, going 4-for-5 with four RBIs in the game. Benjamin Galindo and Spencer Morris each had a pair of RBIs to their name.
Matthew Perez and Nathan Tapia had the only hits for TLCA.
Harrison Ragan was charged with the loss after going just one-third of an inning and allowing nine runs on four hits.
Brady (7-8-1, 1-1) will host Sonora on March 19. TLCA (2-7, 0-2) will travel to Sonora this Friday.
Reagan County's Late Offensive Burst Dooms Grape Creek
The Reagan County Owls used a late offensive burst to down district foe Grape Creek 11-1 in five innings on Tuesday.
Christian Galindo's RBI single in the bottom of the fifth capped off a five-run fifth inning and ended the game.
Justin Chavez picked up the win on the mound for the Owls after going 4 2/3 innings where he allowed one run on two hits with three strikeouts. Chavez was 3-for-3 at the plate as well, scoring three runs and picking up an RBI.
Marco Flores was 2-for-4 at the plate with a pair of RBIs and a pair of runs scored for Reagan County. Christian Galindo picked up a pair of RBIs in his 2-for-3 day.
Koby Hasty picked up the loss after allowing six runs on five hits with five strikeouts and four walks. Hasty also had one of Grape Creek's two hits in the game.
Reagan County (9-6, 2-0) will travel to Ballinger this Friday. Grape Creek (1-5, 0-1) will host no. 2 Wall this Thursday.
Other scores from the area:
- De Leon 8, Miles 0
This story will be updated.
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