HALLSVILLE — The Hallsville Bobcats’ baseball season is over after being upset by district rivals Longview Lobos in the regional quarterfinals of the playoffs.
The Lobos won the first on a walk off in the ninth inning, got shut out 4-0 in the second game, and were tied in the 7th inning when they hit an RBI for the victory.
These two teams had met each other twice before in district play, with Hallsville comfortably getting the best of the Longview in both meetings. However, in the first time they met in the playoffs, Longview got the the last laugh and upset the Bobcats when it really mattered.
The first game happened on Thursday, 79 years after the first recorded Longview vs. Hallsville match on the same day in 1944. Since then, Hallsville has won more often than Longview.
In match, the stadium was packed, and the Lobo fans were at their loudest as Hallsville and Longview kept the game tied at 1-1 until the ninth inning. Longview broke the standoff when they got a walk-off RBI, batting in pinch runner Jacolbie Granville, to the elation of the home crowd.
The second match happened on Saturday. Hallsville seemed to solve the Lobo puzzle. Blake Cox was on the mound, striking out five, surrendering two hits and walking no one.
Sawyer Dunagan and Trenton Johnson both got two hits and a run each. Blake Cox, Landon Bowden, Connor White and Jack Holladay all got RBIs to secure the four point victory.
The third match happened 30 minutes after the second. The Bobcats had impressive defensive play, getting two double-plays and allowing Hallsville to sit on a 1-0 lead.
Hallsville got the lead in the fourth inning when Ashton Garza hit a big one on the fair side of the right field foul line, batting in a run.
Longview tied it up again with a two-out RBI from Jordan Allen, bringing it to 2-2 in the fifth inning. It all came down to the seventh inning, still tied at 2-2, when Drew Flores hit the ball and allowing Granville to spoil Hallsville’s playoff dreams by ending the game 3-2.
Now the historical head-to-head record is 28-24 in favor of Hallsville.
Longview moves on to the regional semifinals against the Reedy Lions,
The Hallsville Bobcats end their season as the bi-district and area champs, regular season winners and with a record of 26-8-1.
