Maud gears up for top-seeded Beckville
WINNSBORO, Texas — Once they got collected after a Game 1 loss to Como-pickton in the bi-district round last week, the Maud Cardinals looked fierce as they closed out the series without much trouble.
That trend will have to continue Thursday when they open a best-of-three area round series against top-seeded Beckville, who won the District 19-2A championship with an overall record of 21-2-1.
Maud, a third seed from District 17-2A, lost Game 1 to Como-pickton, 3-1, before winning the next two 11-6 and 15-2.
“Beckville has always had a strong tradition in baseball, and it’s nothing new for this year,” Maud baseball coach Wace Forga told the Gazette. “They come in as the seventh-ranked team in the state of 2A. With that being said, we have a bunch of DAWGS [Disciplined Athletes With Grit] in our group, and they’re up for any challenge.
“They have faced every challenge that has been thrown at them this year, and I just told them the script has already been written — they just have to close the book now.”
Coach Forga believes both teams match up well against each other. Maud’s pitching staff has a combined ERA of 2.52, and Beckville has several aces who can pitch, including their No. 1, who can throw between 85-88 mph.
“He’s solid and throws a cutter that can be difficult to hit,” Forga said. “They do have a couple of other arms on the mound, but nothing that we have not seen this year. Luckily, in our district this year, we faced some very good pitchers, so we will be prepared.
“We have a lot of guys who can throw strikes and, most importantly, they go out there and compete and do their job.”
Coach Forga said both teams are close in terms of offense.
“In terms of hitting, I think both teams are evenly matched,” he said. “So it’s hard to say that one team has an advantage over the other. We are pretty similar, and I believe we are going to compete.”
The series will be played in Winnsboro. Game 1 will begin at 6 p.m. on Thursday. Game 2 will be on Friday, with the first pitch scheduled for 5 p.m., and Game 3, if needed, will follow
shortly after.
The winner will play either Kerens or Linden-kildare in the regional quarterfinals.
Northeast Texas Pairings Class 4A
W15 Pleasant Grove (22-8-1) vs. Carrollton Ranchview (19-13)
Game 1: Thursday, May 9 @ Pleasant Grove, 6:30 p.m.
Game 2: Friday, May 10 @ Ranchview, 6:30 p.m.
Game 3: Saturday, May 11 @ Paris, 2 p.m. (if needed)
Class 4A
Farmersville (21-12) vs. Libertyeylau (24-7-1)
Game 1: Thursday, May 9 @ Mount Pleasant, 6 p.m.
Game 2: Friday, May 10 @ Mount Pleasant, 6 p.m.
Game 3: Saturday, May 11 @ Mount Pleasant, 2 p.m. (if needed)
Class 3A
West Rusk (16-11-1) vs. Dekalb
(18-7-1)
Game 1: Thursday, May 9 @ Marshall, 7:30 p.m.
Game 2: Friday, May 10 @ Marshall, 7:30 p.m.
Game 3: Saturday, May 11 @
Marshall, 2 p.m. (if needed)
Class 3A
Atlanta (17-9-1) vs. Elysian Fields (15-8-1)
Game 1: Thursday, May 9 @ Atlanta, 7 p.m.
Game 2: Friday, May 10 @ Elysian Fields, 7 p.m.
Game 3: Saturday, May 11 @
Carthage, 1 p.m. (if needed)
Class 3A
Harmony (24-5) vs. Daingerfield (15-12)
Game 1: Thursday, May 9 @ Longview, 7 p.m.
Game 2: Friday, May 10 @ Longview, 7 p.m.
Game 3: Saturday, May 11 @
Longview, noon (if needed)
Class 2A
Kerens vs. Linden-kildare
Game 1: Thursday May 9 at 6pm at Grand Saline
Game 2: Friday May 10 at 4pm at Grand Saline
Game 3: If needed follows Game 2