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In a battle for second place in District 20-3A, Groesbeck snapped a tie with four runs in the sixth inning and held off a Mexia rally in the bottom of the seventh to claim an 8-6 victory at Blackcat Field on Tuesday, April 16.
The Blackcats scored two runs in the home half of the seventh and left the potential tying run on base.
With the victory, Groesbeck takes sole possession of second place in the district with an 8-4 record. Mexia dropped to 7-5 and is in a three-way tie for third place with Fairfield and Palestine Westwood. Only two of those three teams will qualify for the playoffs. Mexia has not been in the playoffs since 2019.
Mexia can punch its ticket to the postseason with a victory at Westwood on Friday. The Blackcats beat Westwood in the teams' first meeting this season and a win Friday would give them the tiebreaker. The 'Cats have split two games with Fairfield.
The first three batters in the seventh inning got on base for the Blackcats as they made a comeback bid.
Leadoff hitter Keydren Majors singled to start the uprising. Anthony Schaff followed with a double to score Majors and chase Groesbeck starting pitcher Andrez Luna.
Nick Sanchez came on in relief and hit Adriano Mendoza with a pitch putting runners on first and second for Mexia. Brett Swift singled to score Schaff and send Mendoza to second base.
However, that's where the two runners remained as Sanchez induced an infield popup for an out and struck out two batters to end the threat.
Groesback snapped a 1-1 tie with three runs in the third inning, but the Blackcats fought back to tie the score 4-4.
Mexia answered the Goats' three-run third with two in the home half of the inning.
Majors walked to open the frame and Schaff reached on a fielder's choice with Majors safe at second on the play to put two runners on base.
Mendoza ripped a double to center field to score Majors and send Schaff to third. He scored on a sacrifice fly by Nate Burns to get the Blackcats within one.
Mexia tied the game with a run in the fourth. Walks to Andres Venegas, Gabe Solis and Majors loaded the bases with one out.
Schaff lofted a fly to short right field. The runners held their bases in anticipation of the ball being caught. But it fell in front of Groesbeck right fielder Jaxon Jones. Venegas scored, but Jones threw to second baseman Trent Platt for a forceout at second base.
Mexia had two runners in scoring position, but a strikeout ended the inning.
Groesbeck snapped the 4-4 tie with four in the top of the sixth inning.
Braydan Urban singled and went to third as Zack Crabb reached on an error.
Hunter Murphy relieved Swift on the mound and struck out the first batter he faced. Trent Platt and Sanchez followed with run-scoring singles to give Groesbeck a 6-4 lead. Platt went to third and Sanchez advanced to second on the throw home. Both runners scored on an error to cap the inning.
Groesbeck had 11 hits to Mexia's seven and took advantage of five Blackcat errors.
Schaff had two hits, scored two runs and knocked in two runs. Majors had a hit and scored two runs. Venegas had a double and scored a run.
Swift pitched the first five innings for Mexia and took the loss. He allowed six hits and six runs, four of which were earned. He walked two and struck out four.
Murphy pitched the final two innings. He surrendered five hits and two runs, of which one was earned. He struck out one and did not walk a batter.
After Friday's game at Palestine Westwood, the Blackcats will close out their regular season Tuesday, April 23, when they host state-ranked Franklin.
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