Much like Thursday’s series opener, the Orangefield baseball team brought home a game-winning run on Friday night without even swinging the bat.
Two wild pitches in the seventh inning each scored runs for the Bobcats, who clinched the Class 4A regional quarterfinal series over Hardin-Jefferson with a 2-1 win in Game 2 at Vincent-Beck Stadium in Beaumont.
After Orangefield scored the two runs in the top of the seventh, pitcher Coop Longron took the mound in the bottom half looking to close out a complete-game shutout. However, Hardin-Jefferson made things a little more interesting, scoring on an RBI double by Hunter Fontenot.
Longron then walked the next batter but shut things down from there. He stranded the potential tying run at second base with a flyout to left field, sending Orangefield into the regional semifinals.
Bobcats head coach Tim Erickson said he never considered pulling his starter.
“He battled all night. I was going to let him go 110 (pitches),” Erickson said of Langron. “I had confidence in him to stay around the zone, and he got it done.”
Hardin-Jefferson starting pitcher Brayden Edwards was equally as impressive for the Hawks, holding Orangefield to just two hits in the game. He pitched into the seventh inning but was then replaced by reliever Tyler Baack after allowing base runners on a hit-by-pitch and a walk.
Baack got the first Orangefield batter to ground out but then threw the two wild pitches that ended up being the difference.
Edwards, a Texas A&M signee, took the loss despite pitching 6 1/3 innings and striking out five.
“We knew runs would be hard to come by because (Edwards) is really good,” Erickson said. “It worked out that we finally got some guys over to third base and the ball bounced in our direction.”
Longron earned the win, finishing with a line of seven innings pitched, eight hits, five strikeouts and three walks.
Orangefield now advances to face Rusk in the next round.
mfaye@beaumontenterprise.com
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