PLANO — With its back against the wall and season on the line, the Longview Lobos were able to limit Plano West's vaunted offense to just five hits Friday night.
Unfortunately for the Lobos, those five hits coupled with eight walks and four errors led to a 4-1 loss and a two-game sweep for Plano West in a best-of-three Class 5A area baseball playoff series.
The Lobos end the year with a 13-15 record. Plano West, the top-ranked team in the state, moves to 32-0.
Just like in Thursday's series opener, Longview scored first. The Lobos took the lead in the second inning with their lone run of the night. After West senior pitcher Ben Flora notched one of his eight strikeouts to open the game, Longview junior William McWhorter drilled a double down the left field line and reached third after a bobble in the outfield. McWhorter scored moments later on a sacrifice fly from senior Taylor Pepper, who opposed Flora on the mound.
Longview's lead wouldn't last past the bottom of the frame though as junior Donald Plant belted a shot over the left field fence to tie the game, 1-1.
West sophomore Blake Parker drew a walk next and stole second base with junior Reed Dillard at the dish. Longview's attempted throw was off the mark and Parker advanced to third. Dillard grounded to the pitcher soon thereafter, but a missed tag allowed Dillard to reach first and Parker to score as West took its first lead of the evening, 2-1.
"That team doesn't need any help to win games," Lobo head coach Joey Kalmus said of West. ''So, obviously the walks and errors hurt us."
But just like the first inning, West had the bases loaded when the frame came to an end.
On the evening, the Wolves stranded 11 runners as Pepper was consistently able to get out of trouble in his 123-pitch complete game.
"I think this is the best Taylor has looked all year," Kalmus said. "We didn't have him on a pitch count or anything, because he has plenty of time to rest in the off-season."
Longview attempted to retake the lead in the fifth as McWhorter got his second hit of the night and junior Trevor Moren dropped in a flare to right to put Lobos on at first and second with one out. But Flora would get the next two hitters, and final eight batters of the game, out to end the rally.
Another walk and throwing error in the bottom of the fifth inning led to another West run, and 3-1 advantage, as Parker's sacrifice grounder drove in senior Ryan Hughes.
Senior Harrison Holmes led-off the bottom of the sixth by reaching base after Longview's fourth error and senior Jason Coats notched his third hit of the night to put runners at first and second. After a deep fly ball from sophomore Ryan Ford advanced Holmes to third, he scored on a sac fly from senior Tyler Bruce to reach the eventual 4-1 final.
"I'm proud of the way our guys battled tonight and I think we did a lot to earn respect for our program," Kalmus said. "Our team came together and we worked hard; that's really all you can ask for."
