major league

Heartbreak in El Campo: Columbus wins Texas East Tournament with two victories in Finals

  • Blair Ranly went three-for-six in the two games. Chuck Grafe/ Tribune-Herald
    Blair Ranly went three-for-six in the two games. Chuck Grafe/ Tribune-Herald
  • Adley Zappe waits for the pitch to be delivered. Chuck Grafe/ Tribune-Herald
    Adley Zappe waits for the pitch to be delivered. Chuck Grafe/ Tribune-Herald

    EL CAMPO – The Hallettsville Major League All-Stars lost twice to Columbus in the finals of the Section 3 Tournament at Bankers Field Tuesday, July 16.

    Columbus had to beat Hallettsville twice to advance and did it by scores of 5-4 and 4-3.

    Columbus advanced to the Southwest Regional Tournament in Waco.

    Game 2

    Columbus 4, H’ville 3 (8)

    In the final game, Columbus won on a walk-off error in the bottom of the eighth.

    After the seventh inning, International rules were in play. Berkley Anderson was the ghost runner on second base and advanced to third on a wild pitch before scoring on the error.

    In the top of the eighth, Blair Ranly singled before being thrown out at third base.

    Hallettsville scored its first run in the initial inning before leaving the bases loaded.

    Ranly led off with a single. Amryn Etzler and Macyn Wimberly drew back-to-back walks to load the bases before starting pitcher Courtney Barten was replaced by Anderson. Anderson retired the first batter with a strikeout and the second on a pop out. Brenna Bucek’s infield hit scored Ranly before the final out was made.

    Hallettsville starting pitcher Paelyn Etzler fanned seven, gave up a hit and walked two through three innings before Columbus took a 3-1 lead with a three-run fourth which saw the locals commit two errors. The big hit was a two-run single by Anderson after Lila Berger had scored on a wild pitch.

    Hallettsville tied the score 3-3 with two runs in the sixth inning.

    Wimberly started the frame with a base hit to left and scored when Paelyn Etzler doubled. Bucek, who had two hits in the game, singled on a 1-2 pitch to drive in the final run of the inning.

    Ranly had two hits and Morgan Felcman and Heidi Grahmann singled.

    Hallettsville had plenty of traffic on the bases, stranding 10 baserunners, five in scoring position.

    Game 1

    Columbus 5, H’ville 4

    Hattie Post’s one out single in the bottom of the sixth inning gave Columbus 5-4, walk-off win.

    Ellie Beauchamp led off the inning with a base on balls, went to second on an errant pitch and came across when Post looped a base hit to right field.

    Columbus jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning.

    Berkley Anderson had a two-run single and the final run scored on an error.

    Hallettsville trimmed the lead to 3-1 in the fourth inning.

    Reese Sklar was safe on an error, and after two outs, she scored on a two-out double to left center field by Macyn Wimberly.

    Columbus came back with a run in the bottom of the fourth for a 4-1 advantage. Andie Melnar tripled to lead off the frame before scoring on a bunt by Cambry Barten.Hallettsville rallied for three runs in the sixth inning to gain a 4-4 tie.

    Kenley Sevcik and Lynley Kallus led off with singles and Amryn Etzler scored the former on a base hit. Kallus scored on a sacrifice by Morgan Felcman and Amryn Etzler on an infield out by Sklar

    Hallettsville collected seven hits. Paelyn Etzler had two of them and Blair Ranly singled.

    Paelyn Etzler was the losing pitcher in relief. She worked 4.2 innings, gave up two hits, walked one and struck out nine.

    The locals had the leadoff hitter on in the first three innings before finally scoring in the fourth.

    Columbus had just five hits.