One of the lines in the 1984 film, “The Natural,” was from the late Wilford Brimley.
His character, New York Knights Manager Pop Fisher, yelled out to one of his pitchers, “Don’t you know I hate losing to the Pirates?!” Last week, either Crawford or Collinsville – both have the Pirate as their mascot – would ironically “lose to the Pirates.”
In the end, it was two-time defending state champion Collinsville (22-4) claiming the three-game series against Crawford (24-8) last weekend in a Class 2A-Division II best-of-three region semifinal baseball series. Collinsville dropped the series opener, 7-1, Thursday, May 14, before winning the next two games, 3-0 and 4-3, respectively.
The Pirates faced Muenster in a best-of-three region final series at North Central Texas College in Gainesville. The series opener was Wednesday and Game Two was Thursday. A third game, if necessary, will take place at 2 p.m. Saturday.
GAME ONE
CRAWFORD 7, COLLINSVILLE 1
Greyson Talbert kept Collinsville’s bats in check in Crawford’s series-opening 7-1 victory against Collinsville Thursday, May 14. Talbert struck out five batters and gave up one run on two hits.
Collinsville struck first in the top of the second inning when Rider Patterson scored on a sacrifice bunt from Travis Emshoff. Crawford scored the equalizer in the bottom of the second with an RBI single from Talbert.
The score remained tied until the bottom of the fourth when Crawford strung together four hits to score two runs and take a 3-1 lead. Crawford used three hits, three walks and a hit batsman to score four runs in the bottom of the fifth to cap the scoring.
Caysen Schafer (1-3) and Luke Sheppard (1-2, BB) had Collinsville’s hits. Emshoff recorded the only RBI on a sacrifice bunt.
GAME TWO
COLLINSVILLE 3, CRAWFORD 0
Timely hitting and strong pitching and defense helped Collinsville tie the series with a 3-0 victory Friday, May 15. Despite recording eight hits, Crawford could not cross the plate.
Schafer struck out seven Crawford batters in 6.2 innings of work on the pitcher’s mound. Crawford had runners on third base twice.
Collinsville broke a scoreless tie in the bottom of the third. Nate Hicks hit a leadoff single and stole second base before scoring on a groundout from Paxton Davidson.
The score remained the same until the bottom of the sixth. Peyton Davidson reached base on an error and scored on a double-steal before Sheppard scored on a groundout by Jaxon Spivey.
Patterson (2-3, 2B) led Collinsville at the plate. Hicks (1-2, SAC), Spivey (0-3, RBI), Paxton Davidson (1-3, RBI) and Peyton Davidson (1-3) also contributed.
GAME THREE
COLLINSVILLE 4, CRAWFORD 3
Once again, Collinsville was out-hit. But once again, the Pirates found a way to win.
Emshoff scored on a sacrifice fly from Schafer in the bottom of the sixth to help Collinsville rally past Crawford, 4-3, Saturday, May 16. Paxton Davidson went the distance on the mound giving up three runs on six hits and striking out two behind a solid defensive effort that turned two double plays.
Collinsville started the scoring in the bottom of the first with two runs. Spivey drove in a run when he was hit by a pitch and Patterson sent a second run across the plate with a sacrifice bunt.
Crawford tied the game with two runs in the top of the second behind two singles and two walks. The opposing Pirates took the lead in the top of the third behind two hits and a sacrifice fly.
But Collinsville scored the equalizer in the bottom of the third when Sheppard hit an RBI double. The score remained the same until the bottom of the sixth.
Hicks (1-3), Sheppard (1-2, BB, 2B, RBI), Spivey (1-1, BB, HBP, RBI) and Paxton Davidson (1-2, 2 BB) led Collinsville at the plate. Patterson (0-1, 2 SAC, RBI) and Schafer (0-2, BB, RBI) also contributed.