Amarillo High’s Jacob Self sprints into third base during a District 3-5A game at Caprock on Thursday. [Ben Jenkins/ Press Pass Sports]
By Lee Passmore
The Randall Raiders finished this past week by showing why they’re the team to beat in District 3-5A by sweeping the team which was closest to them.
Randall, who clinched a playoff spot earlier in the week by beating second-place Plainview to stay in the district lead, ended the series against Plainview on the road by expanding that advantage. The Raiders beat the Bulldogs 7-4 to complete a week and season sweep of Plainview and firmly grasp their district championship destiny in their own hands.
With four straight wins over Plainview and Amarillo High, the two teams tied for second in the district, Randall (18-7, 10-1) has opened up a three-game lead atop the district with four games remaining. The Raiders beat Plainview (12-14-1, 7-4) on Tuesday to clinch a playoff berth.
Randall trailed 2-1 after the first inning but scored three runs in the top of the fourth to take the lead for good. Kaden Juarez belted a three-run double with two outs to give the Raiders a 4-2 lead they never relinquished.
Juarez drove in two other runs for the Raiders on sacrifice flies.
Duncan Bowles pitched a complete-game victory for Randall.
Amarillo High rallies past Caprock, clinches postseason berth
For the second straight game, Amarillo High had to mount a late charge to beat Caprock, as the Sandies scored three runs in the top of the third to take the lead for good in an 11-9 victory at Caprock.
With the win, the Sandies moved into a tie for second in the district with Plainview and clinched a playoff berth.
The Longhorns got the first big inning of the game, taking a 7-4 lead over Amarillo High (14-8, 7-4) with five runs in the bottom of the second. Aldo Ostos, Roger King and Christian Contreras all drove in runs with singles for Caprock (9-13, 2-9).
Amarillo High tied it 7-7 in the top of the fourth with Will Flamming tying it by stealing home as part of a double steal. In the bottom of the fifth, the Longhorns went up 9-7 as Contreras drove in another run on an RBI single.
But the Sandies took the lead in the top of the next inning. The first three batters singled, then Jaxsen Hall hit a two-run double to give them a 10-9 lead. Brock Wade scored an insurance on a wild pitch for Amarillo High in the seventh.
Amarillo High’s Will Franklin hit a three-run home run in the first to start the scoring. Jacob Self also drove in three runs.
Sawyer Shipman pitched four innings of relief to pick up the win for the Sandies.
Caprock had 15 hits. Ostos had three while King, Contreras, Isaac Delosreyes and Matthew Hulen had two each and King drove in three runs.
Tascosa scores four in seventh to beat PD, reach postseason
Tascosa averted an upset by scoring four runs in the top of the seventh and held on to beat Palo Duro 5-4 at Palo Duro and clinch a playoff berth, setting the district’s four teams for the postseason.
Palo Duro had a 2-0 lead after four innings, but Tascosa (11-12-1, 6-5) cut it to 2-1 in the fifth. The Rebels then came alive at the plate with four runs in the top of the seventh and held on as the Dons (4-16, 1-10) scored two in the bottom of the inning.
Javen Patrick and Davis Yaws both drove in two runs for Tascosa and Ryne Wingate pitched a complete-game victory, striking out nine. Patrick had three hits while Yaws and Wingate had two each.
District 4-4A
Canyon routs Borger
For the first time in district play Friday, the Canyon Eagles didn’t invoke the 10-run mercy rule on an opponent.
But it was nonetheless a decisive victory for the Eagles, who rolled to a 10-1 win over Borger on the road to stay undefeated in district play. Canyon, who clinched a playoff berth by beating Perryton earlier in the week, improved to 14-6 and 7-0 in district.
Borger stayed in last place in district at 6-14 and 0-7.
District 1-3A
Bushland beats up River Road to open second half of district
The Bushland Falcons maintained their hot hand to open the second half of district play, rolling to a 16-5 run-rule victory over metro rival River Road on the road in six innings for their sixth straight run-rule victory to open district.
Junior Josh Bass continued to dominate for Bushland (15-2, 6-0) on both the mound and the plate, earning the victory by going the distance pitching and going 4-for-5 with a homer and four RBIs at the plate.
Sophomore Straton Malloy was 5-for-5 with a homer and five RBIs and Kade Gavina had an inside the park grand slam with five RBIs. Westin Forbes had three hits for the Falcons.
River Road fell to 10-9 and 4-2.
District scores
District 4-4A
Perryton 7, Dumas 6
Hereford 4, Pampa 2
District 3-3A
Dalhart 16, Dimmitt 6
Friona 10, Tulia 9
District 1-2A
Sanford-Fritch 12, Booker 5
Follett 23, Boys Ranch 18
Gruver 5, WT High 0
District 2-2A
Nazareth 5, Clarendon 2
Wellington 16, Memphis 1
District 2-1A
Kress 6, Claude 5