The Whitney Wildcats continue their run in the UIL baseball playoffs after winning in the Class 3A Regional Semifinals.
The best-of-three game series against Orangefield was played in Rusk with the Cats taking game one 5-2 Thursday, May 15.
Kobe Haynes led the team with two RBIs on two hits and two runs scored. Dalton Neagle, Garrett Peacock and Mason Seeley each contributed an RBI. On the mound, Jacob Lessman went the distance. Lessman gave up two hits, no runs and struck out seven batters.
Game two saw Orangefield even the series in the east Texas humidity with a final score of 6-3 Friday, May 16.
The Cats gave up a run in the top of the second inning but bounced back in the bottom of the inning, scoring two runs to take the lead. Cooper Haygood got the start on the mound for Whitney. Haygood made quick work of the Orangefield batters to go into the bottom of the third.
Orangefield tied the game up at 2-2 in the top of the sixth inning. The score would stay tied as the game went into extra innings. Orangefield scored in the top of the eighth inning, but Whitney responded again.
The score going into the ninth inning was knotted at 3-3. Orangefield put up three runs in the top of the 10th inning, and a game three was needed.
The Cats clinched the series Saturday, May 17, winning 6-2. Whitney scored one run in the first inning to take an early lead. Orangefield tied the game at 1-1 in the top of the third inning, but the Cats answered with a run in the bottom of the inning. Whitney added to the lead with two runs in the fourth and two in the sixth.
Seeley pitched five innings, gave up two runs and struck out four batters. Mason Pelham also got two innings of work on the hill.
The Wildcats will take on Huntington in the Regional Finals this week. Game details had not been released as of press time.
The Lakelander 