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The Elgin High School varsity baseball team split last week’s 5A-District 23 games in a two-game series with Georgetown East View High School.
ELGIN WILDCATS 4, EAST VIEW PATRIOTS 1
Behind a strong outing on the mound by senior pitcher Jack Grames, the Wildcats won 4-1 in their district opener March 12 on the road at East View.
With two outs in the top of the third inning, Elgin got on the board as junior Malakai Hibbs lined a two-run single to give the Wildcats an early 2-0 lead.
After the host Patriots got on the board with their only run in the bottom of the fourth frame, the Wildcats added an insurance run in the fifth on a sacrifice fly by junior Jalen Owens to go up 3-1.
Elgin got another run in the sixth inning with two outs as senior Alex Gamez drew a bases-loaded walk, giving the Wildcats a 4-1 advantage they would hold the rest of the way.
Grames led the way in 6.2 innings pitched with eight strikeouts, only five hits allowed, one walk issued and one earned run on 112 pitches. Owens came in to record the final out and struck out a Patriots batter on three pitches to secure the win.
EAST VIEW PATRIOTS 8, ELGIN WILDCATS 6
Despite facing an eightrun deficit at home March 13 heading into the bottom of the fifth inning, the Wildcats refused to quit in their 8-6 loss to East View.
Elgin got three runs in the fifth frame with two outs on three consecutive bases-loaded walks drawn by junior Cason Nalle, sophomore Tyson McFarlin and junior Fernando Ramirez to cut the deficit to within 8-3.
In the bottom of the seventh inning, the furious rally continued for Elgin as sophomore Bryce Barron scored on a passed ball, senior Nathen Lewis hit a sacrifice fly and senior Austin Miller hit an RBI single. However, the Wildcats came up just short to the Patriots.
Elgin (6-12 overall, 1-1 district record), under Head Coach Jason Bourgeois, was scheduled March 19 to host Pflugervi lle Connally High School and the Wildcats will travel Friday, March 22 at 7 p.m. to take on the Cougars.
