Salado Eagles beat Lorena back-to-back in the Waco ISD Tournament to take third place in the three-day event Feb. 25-27, going 4-1 with a loss in the second round to Harker Heights.

Drew Dobbins and Ryan Oakes were named to the All-Tournament Team.

Connally 1

Eagles 11

Salado crushed Pflugerville-Connally 11-1 in the first round of the WISD Tournament Feb. 25. The game ended after five innings.

Connally’s only run came as the result of back-to-back errors by the Eagles in the fourth inning.

The Eagles scored a run in the first, when Preston Payne led off with a walk, stole second and went to third on a wild pitch. Cody Wolf’s double to deep left plated the runner.

With two walks, an error and just one hit in the fourth, Salado was able to score four runs. Drew Dobbins had an RBI single in the inning.

The Eagles ended the game in their fifth at-bat, scoring six runs on just two hits. Grant Taylor led off by reaching on an error. He went to third on a double by Colton Stolc, scoring on the throw. Jeremiah Combs singled in with Dobbins scoring the final run on the throw.

Oakes went the distance on the mound for the Eagles, striking out five batters and allowing one hit. He walked two and gave up no earned runs.

Eagles 4

Heights 5

Salado Eagles scored two first-inning runs and held a 4-1 lead after three innings, but lost to the Harker Heights Knights in the second round of the tournament 5-4.

The Eagles out-hit the Knights with eight hits, led by Garrett Lightfoot’s two hits in the game.

Preston Payne led off the game for Salado singling to deep right. He stole second and third, scoring on a fielder’s choice. Drew Dobbins, walked, stole second and reached third on the fielder’s choice before scoring on a single to deep left by Lightfoot.

Cullen McKinney walked to lead off the second for Salado. He stole second and went to third on an error, scoring on a fielder’s choice to give Salado a 3-0 lead.

Cody Wolf singled to left and went to second on a single to left by Ryan Dunnahoo. Grant Taylor doubled, scoring Wolf for the 4-0 lead in the third.

Heights scored an unearned run in the bottom of the third.

The Knights added two runs in the fourth and tied the game in the bottom of the sixth.

Tyler Torres led off the bottom of the seventh with a walk, going to second on a wild pitch. Torres went to third on a fielder’s choice to the shortstop by Jacob Mitchell, scoring on the throw to end the game.

Ellison 0

Salado 6

The Ellison Eagles never stood much of a chance in the third round of the WISD tournament as Salado scored five runs in the first three innings and Drew Dobbins threw a no-hitter against the 6A opponent.

Dobbins struck out six batters and walked only one for Salado. Four Ellison Eagles were able to reach base, on a walk, two errors and a fielder’s choice.

Preston Payne and Cody Wolf scored in the first inning. Payne led off the frame by being hit by the pitcher. He went to third on a single to deep right by Wolf, scoring on the throw. Wolf went to second on a passed ball and scored on a triple to deep left by Garrett Lightfoot.

Drew Dobbins singled with one out in the third, went to second on a passed ball and third on a fly-out to deep right. Grant Taylor walked. A passed ball put Taylor at third and scored Colton Stolc, courtesy runner for Dobbins.

Garrett Lightfoot walked and a double to deep right by Ryan Oakes scored both runners.

Kade Maedgen singled to lead off the fourth. He was thrown out at second on a fielder’s choice to left by Phillip Ellis. Ellis went to second on a wild pitch and third on an error scoring after tagging up on a sacrifice fly by Dobbins to deep left.

Salado 9

Lorena 7

Lorena Leopards took a 7-0 lead after two innings, but Salado responded with six runs in the third, a run in the fourth and two runs in the fifth for the 9-7 win Feb. 26 in the fourth round of the WISD Tournament.

Lorena had two hits in the first, but scored six runs thanks to two walks, a hit batter, a dropped third strike and an error.

Jacob Spivey tripled to deep right and scored on a grounder to give the Leopards a 7-0 lead.

Lorena loaded the bases in the fifth, but the Eagles got the final out without another run scoring.

Preston Payne and Kade Maedgen both doubled in the third inning, but Maedgen’s put two runners across home plate as the Eagles scored six runs in the inning with just two hits.

Payne scored again in the fourth inning after reaching on a fielder’s choice. He scored on an error.

Salado took the lead in the fifth, with two outs on the board as the first two batters of the frame grounded out. Ellis reached when he was hit by the pitcher and stole second base. Payne was also hit by the pitcher and both runners scored on a double to deep right by Dobbins.

Lorena 4

Eagles 5

In the third place game, Salado beat the Leopards 5-4 in seven innings.

Lorena started the game with a run in the top of the first and added three more in the second.

Salado scored two runs in the bottom of the second. Drew Dobbins doubled to deep left and went to third on a fielding error that let Cody Wolf reach second. Dobbins scored and Wolf advanced on a balk and Wolf scored on the throw after Garrett Lightfoot singled.

Kade Maedgen scored in the fourth after leading off with a single to deep right. He went to second on a walk to Cullen McKinney and reached third on a sacrifice bunt by Peyton Kyburz. Maedgen scored on a passed ball before Lorena pitcher struck out the next two batters.

Kyburz scored the game winning run by reaching on an error. He went to second when Phillip Ellis laid a bunt down the first base line. Preston Payne singled to left. Kyburz scored on an error.