Guard going back to state!

Brook Hill took the early initiative and maintained control throughout its 10-6 victory over Fort Worth Southwest Christian Saturday night in Sunnyvale in the third and deciding game of their TAPPS 4A Regional Playoff series.

The Guard took the series 2-1 and are ready to pack their bags for Houston and the TAPPS 4A state baseball tournament. Brook Hill (19-10) will face Dallas Christian (25-10-1) in a state semifinal at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Baseball USA near Houston Christian School.

Brook Hill is back in the state tournament after a three-year absence as the Guard seek to win the program’s fifth state championship.

The first two games of their series with Southwest Christian were slugfests as Brook Hill pitching allowed 24 runs in 14 innings.

In Game 3, however, Miguel Vega and Mason Smith combined to keep Southwest Christian mostly in check.

Vega was the winning pitcher, allowing five runs in four innings on five hits with six strikeouts. Mason Smith grabbed a three-inning save, allowing one run on one hits with two strikeouts.

Seth Brasher led the way at the plate, batting 2 for 4 with two doubles and three RBIs. Smith was also 2 for 4 with a single, double and two RBIs. McCray Fletcher scored three runs and stole two bases with Smith, Logan Fitzgerald and Brasher all scoring two runs apiece.

The Guard needed a run in the bottom of the seventh Thursday to force a deciding third game because Brook Hill squandered a big lead. That was not going to happen again on Saturday.

The squandering part. Not the big lead.

Brook Hill did not waste any time using numerous extra-base hits to build an 8-1 advantage after two innings.

With the Guard trailing 1-0, Fletcher led off the bottom of the first with a single to right field. Smith followed with a double to right, enabling Fletcher to come all the way around to score the tying run.

Brook Hill was just getting started. A groundout moved Smith to third and he scored on an RBI double by Vega to give the Guard a 2-1 lead. Logan Fitzgerald came on to courtesy run for Vega and he scored on an RBI double by Brasher.

Josh Jenkins reached on an errant throw, which also scored Brasher to make it 4-1 entering the second inning.

Brook Hill’s went back to work, and again it was Fletcher starting things off, this time with a one-out double. Smith followed with a single to center field to score Fletcher for a 5-1 lead. With two outs, a single by Vega and wild pitch enabled Smith to move to third and courtesy runner Fitzgerald to second.

Brasher then brought both of them home with a two-run double to right field and a 7-1 lead. Jenkins followed with a double to score Brasher as Brook Hill was in front comfortably, 8-1, entering the third inning.

Southwest Christian sliced four runs off the Guard’s advantage as Brook Hill came to the plate in the fifth, leading 8-5.

Tyler Overbeek started the response to that with a one-out double. He went to third on a passed ball and scored on a single by Fletcher. Smith then reached on an error with Fletcher going to third. Using a double steal, Smith was thrown out at second, but not without Fletcher crossing the plate to make it 10-5.

Southwest Christian scored a run the seventh and had two runners on with one out when Smith closed the door with a strikeout and groundout to send Brook Hill to state.

Guard Stats

Southwest Christian       104    000   1   —  6   6   2

Brook Hill                        440   020   x  —  10  15  0

Runs (10): McCray Fletcher 3, Mason Smith 2, Logan Fitzgerald 2, Seth Brasher 2, Tyler Overbeek.

Hits (15): McCray Fletcher 3, Mason Smith 2, Parker Clark 1, Miguel Vega 3, Seth Brasher 2, Josh Jenkins 2, Tyler Overbeek 2.

Runs Batted In (8): McCray Fletcher 1, Mason Smith 2, Miguel Vega 1, Seth Brasher 3, Josh Jenkins 1.

Doubles (7): Seth Brasher 2, Mason Smith 1, McCray Fletcher 1, Josh Jenkins 1, Tyler Overbeek 1, Miguel Vega 1.