Salado varsity Eagles will face 20-4A District Champion Giddings Buffaloes in the bi-district round of the UIL baseball playoffs in a best-of-three series.
The first game will be played in Giddings at 7 p.m. May 6. Game two will be played at noon May 7 at Salado. If necessary, game three will be played 30 minutes following game two.
Giddings finished the regular season with an overall record of 17-9-0 and a district record of 8-2.
Salado 3
Jarrell 1
Up until the fifth inning, Salado Eagles put only two runners on base, neither from a hit in the regular season finale April 29. Salado scored three runs in the fifth to win the game 3-1.
Will Messner led off the top of the fifth with a single to left. Colton Dockray followed with a single over second base. Lane Heath reached on an error that allowed the base runners to score. Heath scored on a single to deep right by Kase Maedgen before the Cougars got three quick outs.
Jarrell scored an unearned run in the second.
Will Messner got the win on the mound for the Eagles, pitching four innings in relief. He allowed one hit and no runs, striking out eight and walking none. Cayden Stump got the start for the Eagles, pitching three innings, allowing four hits, walking three and striking out one. Jarrell scored an unearned run against him.
Lineup AB R H RBI
Drew Bird 4 0 0 0
Isaac Pettigrew 3 0 0 0
Caden
Strickland 3 0 0 0
Josh Adams 3 0 0 0
Jake Windham 2 0 0 0
Will Messner 3 1 1 0
Colton Dockray 2 1 1 0
Lane Heath 3 0 0 0
Kase Maedgen 2 0 1 1
Brody Naegele 0 1 0 0
Totals 25 3 3 1
Jarrell 0
Salado 4
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Salado pitcher Caden Strickland struck out 12 batters as he shut out the visiting Jarrell Cougars 4-0 on senior night April 26.
The Cougars put players into scoring position three times, but Strickland and crew were able to keep them from crossing home.
Strickland split two singles between two strikeouts and got out of the fifth with runners at second and third by getting the third strikeout of the inning.
Jarrell put a runner on third following a walk, but Strickland struck out two more and forced a pop up to first to get out the inning without a score.
The Eagles scored a run in the first after lead-off batter Drew Bird doubled to left. Isaac Pettigrew followed with a rocket down the third base lane for a double to score Bird. In the third, Strickland reached on an error and Nolan Williams knocked a home run over the left field fence as a highlight of his last regular season home game.
Lane Heath led off the sixth with a walk and stole second. With two outs, Strickland knocked a triple to center to score Heath. Strickland was left stranded.
Lineup AB R H RBI
Drew Bird 4 1 2 0
Isaac Pettigrew 3 0 1 1
Caden
Strickland 4 0 1 1
Nolan Williams 3 1 1 2
Jake Windham 2 0 0 0
Josh Adams 2 0 0 0
Will Messner 2 0 0 0
Brady Wilson 2 0 0 0
Lane Heath 2 0 0 0
Brody Naegele 0 1 0 0
Kase Maedgen 0 1 0 0
Colton Dockray – – – –
Totals 24 4 5 4
District 19-4A District Overall
Final Standings W-L W-L-T
Lake Belton
Mustangs 13-2 20-7-0
Taylor Ducks 11-4 18-9-1
Burnet Bulldogs 7-8 11-13-1
Salado Eagles 7-8 11-13-0
Georgetown
Gateway Gators 4-11 7-17-1
Jarrell Cougars 3-12 11-17-1