Salado Eagles will face the winner of the Kirbyville-Central Heights series in the Region III Semi-final next week after the Eagles swept the Clifton Cubs in their best-of-three series May 15 and 16, shutting out the Cubs in both games, 5-0, 4-0.

Game one

Clifton 0

Salado 5

Davis Little hit a two-run triple to lead the Salado Eagles past the Clifton Cubs in the first game of the best-of-three series May 15 as the Eagles scored five first-inning runs to win 5-0.

Keaton Mims walked to lead off the bottom of the first. With one out, he was thrown out at second as Chase Basham reached first on a fielder’s choice. Cole Haag walked before Davis little took the second pitch to deep right field to score the runners. He scored on a double by Casey Frazier to left field. Jacob Little followed with a single to center that scored Frazier. Little went to second on a single by Drew Van Winkle, scoring on an errant throw that let Van Winkle go to second base. 

Clifton put R. Sadler at third in the third inning, Z. Thiele at second in the sixth and runners at second and third in the seventh inning as the only times to threaten to score.

Britton Hawes pitched the entire seven innings. He allowed five hits, walked two and struck out five batters in the win on the mound.

Game Two

Salado 5

Clifton 0

Casey Frazier pitched a one-hitter and the Salado Eagles scored two runs in both the sixth and seventh innings to win the best-of-three series with the Clifton Cubs May 16 at Waco ISD Athletic Complex.Frazier struck out seven batters in the game and issued no walks in the complete game effort.J. Brooks got the only hit for Clifton in the game in the sixth inning and was one of only four to reach base. He got on base twice, the first time on an error to lead off the bottom of the first.  Two other runners reached first on errors and one was hit by the pitcher.Salado scored two runs in the sixth inning. Britton Hawes walked and courtesy runner Preston Payne advanced on a single by Keaton Mims. Caden Eary loaded the bases by running out a drooper down the third base line.  Chase Basham hit the ball to the shortstop who threw the runner out at home for the first out with the bases loaded. A walk to Cole Haag pushed Mims across the plate and a single by Davis Little plated Eary. Garrett Lightfoot, running for Basham, was put out at home on a fielder’s choice for the second out with bases loaded and Jacob Little grounded out to first for the final out of the inning.With one out in the seventh, Hawes walked against. Eary got to second on an error by Clifton that allowed courtesy runner Payne to score. Eary stole third and scored on a single to deep right by Cole Haag.