Calallen baseball weathers delays to storm back into state semifinals
After waiting through several lightning delays that stretched nearly three hours, the defending state champions erupted for a 13-run second inning to roll past Davenport in Game 2.
First came the lightning. Then came the thunder from Calallen's bats. After waiting through several lightning delays that stretched nearly three hours, the defending state champion Wildcats erupted for a 13-run second inning and rolled past Davenport 16-6 in five innings Friday night at Cabaniss Baseball Field.
The win not only completed a two-game sweep in the Class 4A Division I regional final series, it also sent Calallen to the state semifinals for the 15th time in program history. "We just hung out at the ballpark and our kids stayed ready to play," Calallen coach Steve Chapman said. "They knew what was at stake, a trip to the state tournament and the Final Four, and they were not going to be denied.
" Drayton Mitchell, who hit for the cycle in Game 1, once again set the tone by launching a solo home run in the first inning to spark Calallen's offense. Calallen softball: Bullard sweeps Calallen softball in Class 4A Division I state semifinals Mitchell finished 2-for-2 with a home run, double, RBI and two walks and tossed two innings with a pair of strikeouts. "I just wanted to stay aggressive at the plate, stay confident and not get too big up there," Mitchell said after the win.
"My bench helped me out a lot. " The Wildcats turned the game into a rout in the second inning after sending 17 batters to the plate and scoring 14 runs. Drayson Gamez highlighted the inning with a bases-clearing triple that pushed the lead to 6-0.