Bangs, May advance to second round of baseball playoffs

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GRAHAM – The Bangs Dragons completed their Region I-2A baseball bi-district series sweep with a 14-0 victory over Anson Saturday afternoon.

District 7 champion Bangs (18-8), which won the series opener, 7-0, Thursday, received a two-hit shutout from Skylar Minshew, Zack Ferguson and Kade Minshew, who combined to strike out six and walk five in the five-inning run-rule contest.

Offensively, the Dragons broke the game open with nine runs in the third inning. Bangs scored once in the first inning and added two runs apiece in the second and fourth frames.

Bangs drew 13 walks, was aided by four errors and needed just six hits to secure the win. Kenny Cole notched a pair of hits, including a double, and three RBIs; Hunter Crowell finished with two hits and a pair of RBIs; Skylar Minshew drove in two with a double; and Kade Minshew singled and plated two runs. Brody Newton and Brayden Gatlin were also credited with one RBI apiece.

The Dragons will next face District 6 runner-up Hamlin next weekend in the area round of the playoffs.

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May Tigers 7, Abilene TLCA 4

CLYDE – The District 7-A May Tigers secured a bi-district baseball championship with a 7-4 victory over Abilene TLCA Saturday morning in a game rescheduled from Friday night due to rain.

Clinging to a 4-3 lead through five innings, the Tigers pulled away with three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning.

May finished with 10 hits – three by Ace Koethler, who doubled; along with a triple from Kaden Watkins, doubles from Caysen Dail and Aiden Apidone; and singles from Hunter Seider, Hagan Hester, Kayden Psencik and Cutter Newton. Hester, Apidone, Koethler and Newton recorded RBIs.

On the mound, Dail pitched six innings and allowed four runs on five hits with nine strikeouts and three walks to chalk up the victory, while Hester tossed an inning of scoreless relief with one out and one strikeout to notch to save.

The Tigers advance to face District 6 runner-up Westbrook in the Region I-A quarterfinals next weekend.