Houston advances to TSSAA state baseball tournament after 7-1 win over Rossview in 4A sectional

The state tournament proved too elusive for Rossview as Houston High traveled the more than three hours to Montgomery County and handed the Hawks a 7-1 loss in the Class 4A sectional Friday night.

Mustangs freshman Chandler Day kept a potent Hawks offense off balance throughout the game. He finished with just four strikeouts but only allowed one hit and one run to score. He also finished with an RBI base hit.

After losing in sectional games in 2018, 2019 and 2021, Houston (35-8) advances to its first TSSAA state baseball tournament since 2017 when the Mustangs finished 1-2 in three games at Spring Fling.

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Donovan Mitchell led the Mustangs with two RBIs and a base hit. Ryan Bland was 2-for-4 and Tyler Yearwood also was 2-for-4 with a double at the plate.

Rossview (26-13) loaded the bases in the third after a pair of walks, but Day induced an inning-ending double play. That would be Rossview's best chance at scoring multiple runs the rest of the night.

Brady Cooper had Rossview's lone RBI after doubling off Day in the bottom of the fifth. Cooper finished with a pair of hits. Rossview came into Friday's sectional having scored double digits in three straight games and five of its last six. Rossview has scored more than 10 runs 19 times this season.

Cannon Rice took the loss, going six frames with four strikeouts. 

The Hawks have failed to reach the state tournament since it captured the Class 3A state crown in 2018. The 2020 season was canceled a week into the season because of COVID.

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Reach sports writer George Robinson at grobinson@gannett.com or (931) 245-0747 and on Twitter @Cville_Sports.