The Mexia baseball team’s first foray into the postseason playoffs in five years was a short one.
Mexia lost to state-ranked Troy, 9-0, at Waco ISD Sports Complex on Friday night, May 3, to finish its season with a 13-12 record.
Troy had beaten Mexia, 4-1, on Thursday and swept the bestof- three series.
The game Friday was much closer than its 9-0 score indicated. The Blackcats stayed with Troy for five innings and trailed 1-0. But the Trojans pulled away with eight runs in the top of the sixth inning.
For five innings, Mexia senior right-hander Brett Swift matched Troy’s Joseph McMurtry pitchfor- pitch. The only run of the game came in the second when Troy scored with two outs on a double and a single.
The Blackcats had runners on base in the second and third innings, but could not get a run across the plate.
Mexia looked to tie the score in the bottom of the second when Swift singled to right field to lead off the frame. But McMurtry got two strikeouts and a fly out to strand Swift at first.
The Blackcats made another bid to tie the game or take the lead in the third inning. Andres Venegas led off with a single. After a strikeout, Keydren Majors singled putting runners at first and second.
After another strikeout, Venegas and Majors advanced to second and third on a wild pitch. But they were left in scoring position when a groundout ended the inning.
The Blackcats were still within a run when Troy erupted for eight in the sixth inning. The first two batters reached on errors. The Trojans pounded six of their nine hits during the inning.
Swift was credited with five innings pitched for Mexia. He allowed six hits and seven runs, of which three were earned. He walked one and struck out three.
Majors came on in relief in the fifth inning and pitched the final two innings. He gave up three hits and two runs, both earned. He walked one and struck out two.
McMurtry went the route and fashioned a five-hit shutout. He struck out 10 and did not walk a batter.
Troy 4, Mexia 1
In their first playoff game in five years, the Mexia Blackcats fell behind early and dropped a 4-1 decision to Troy in the first game of a best-of-three, bi-district series at Waco ISD Sports Complex on Thursday night, May 2.
Troy scored three runs in the first inning and one in the second and coasted to the victory.
Mexia scored its run in the top of the seventh inning. The Blackcats managed just two hits off Troy pitcher Cannon Negron.
Adriano Mendoza drew a walk to lead off the Blackcats’ seventh inning. He advanced to third on an error and scored on a groundout by Brett Swift.
Hunter Murphy overcame a tough start to toss a complete game for Mexia. He surrendered eight hits and four runs, all earned. He walked two and struck out two.
Over the final four innings, Murphy allowed just three singles and no runs.
While Murphy was keeping Troy in check, the Blackcat bats couldn’t get untracked against Negron, who allowed two hits and one uneaned run, walked one and struck out seven.
Negron retired the first 12 batters he faced. Swift got Mexia’s first hit when he singled to lead off the fifth inning. But Negron struck out the next three batters to strand the Blackcat at first base.
Troy’s leadoff batter in the fifth singled, but after an out the ‘Cats turned a double play to end the inning.
Mexia’s other hit in the game was a two-out single by Keydren Majors in the sixth inning. But a line out to the pitcher ended the inning.
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