Westlake baseball season ends in Class 6A state semifinal loss to Pearland
ROUND ROCK — Westlake’s historic season has come to a close.
The Chaparrals were making their first trip to the state baseball tournament in 14 years after setting a school record with 40 wins, but little went right during their 11-1 six-inning loss to Pearland in a Class 6A semifinal Friday night at Dell Diamond.
The Oilers received a complete-game gem from pitcher Nico Partida and banged out 12 hits in producing about as impressive a performance as you’ll see from a high school team.
“Anything can happen when it comes down to one game, and tonight the ball didn’t bounce our way,” Westlake coach J.T. Blair said. “That’s just the way it goes sometimes, but I’m proud of our guys for winning 40 games, getting us to this position and giving us a chance.”
Partida gave up two hits and a run to the first two Chaps he faced, then retired 12 of the next 13 batters and didn’t yield another hit until the fifth. After the first, he faced more than three batters in an inning only once.
Pearland scored four runs in the third and broke the game open with a six-run fifth while spraying the ball all over the field.
“It felt like they were barreling up everything we threw up there,” Blair said. “Hats off to them as they’re a really good ballclub. Tonight was their night, and it wasn’t ours.”
Braeden Babb doubled and scored on Theo Gillen’s single to give Westlake (40-5) a brief 1-0 lead in the first, but it was downhill after that.
The Chaps had only three more runners the rest of the game, and two of those were forced out on double plays.
Meanwhile, Pearland (38-6-1) took control of the contest with its two big innings.
Caden Ferraro’s RBI ground-rule double and RBI singles from Braeden Morse and John Mayo were the highlights of the third as the Oilers had four hits and two walks. In the fifth, Pearland recorded six hits, with two-run singles from Anthony Avalos and Mayo being the key hits, as Westlake was forced to use to its fourth pitcher of the night. The Oilers also took advantage of an intentional walk and a passed ball.
Avalos finished 3-for-3 with three RBIs, Mayo drove in three runs and Ferraro had two hits and a walk to pace Pearland, which faced Lewisville Flower Mound on Saturday for the state title.
Babb and Gillen combined to go 3-for-5 with a walk to lead the Chaps.
After a successful playoff run, Blair said being in the state tournament is something Westlake will always strive for.
“Next year we want to be right back here,” he said.
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Chaps end with exactly 40 wins after state tournament loss
