The Guard baseball team delivered a solid season in TAPPS 2-4A. Good enough to force a three-way tie for first place and share the district crown with Frisco Legacy Christian and Tyler All Saints.

That meant a playoff of sorts was needed to determine the overall seeding for the postseason.

Tyler All Saints won the flip which meant Brook Hill and Legacy Christian would face off Monday with the winner of that game to meet All Saints later that day for the top seed.

Brook Hill took a 1-0 lead and things were going to plan until the fifth inning. The Guard surrendered seven runs and did not have enough time to recover, despite a two-run home run by Miguel Vega in the seventh inning, to ultimately fall short 7-3.

That means the Guard are the No. 3 seed for the TAPPS 4A playoffs, which begin later this week. Brook Hill (16-9) meets up against Fort Worth Christian (25-10), the No. 2 seed from TAPPS 1-4. The one-game playoff will take place at 5 p.m. Friday at Fort Worth Christian.

On Monday in the district playoff, Brook Hill sent Mason Smith to the mound and he blanked Legacy Christian for four innings before everything changed in the fifth and the Guard eventually were forced to us five pitchers in the game.

Smith took the loss, allowing three runs on three hits with two strikeouts.

The Guard’s Miguel Vega homered, doubled and drove in two runs with Seth Brasher also finishing with two hits in the loss.

Brook Hill grabbed a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third inning. Campbell Fletcher reached on a fielder’s choice and came around to score on a two-out RBI single from McCray Fletcher.

The Guard had a great opportunity to add t their lead in the fourth inning with Vega doubling with one out followed by an infield single from Brasher. Vega was caught between second and third looking to advance on the play, and was thrown out trying to retreat to second base.

With two outs, Mason Smith walked and Logan Langford reached on an error to load the bases. But the chance ended when Brook Hill’s next batter grounded out to end the inning.

The Guard would end up regretting that missed opportunity as Legacy Christian struck for seven runs in the top of the fifth on three hits, five walks, one error and one wild pitch.

Brook Hill attempted to slice at least one run off of its deficit in the fifth when Campbell Fletcher reached on an error and McCray Fletcher walked to put runners at first and second with no outs. However, the next three batters all were retired to end the chance.

The Guard loaded the bases in the sixth, but a strikeout and double play thwarted their efforts and kept the score at 7-1.

In the seventh, the Guard attempted a two-out rally with Vega doing the providing with a two-run home run that scored himself and Parker Clark.

Seth Brasher then reached on an error to keep the game alive with Brook Hill trailing 7-3, but the Guard’s next better grounded out to end it.

Guard Stats

Legacy Christian      000  070  0  —  7   4   5

Brook Hill                001   000  2  —  3   7   3

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

Runs (3): Campbell Fletcher 1, Miguel Vega 1, Parker Clark 1.

Runs Batted In (3): Miguel Vega 2, McCray Fletcher 1.

Doubles (1): Miguel Vega

Home Runs (1): Miguel Vega