Hooks' eliminates Woodville from Class 2A playoffs
By BOB WARD Special to the Enterprise

CARTHAGE - Woodville pushed across its first run of the series in its first at-bat. It was the first run given up by Hooks in three playoff games.

However, the Eagles gave the lead right back in the top of the second inning en route to a 5-2 loss as Woodville's 2007 baseball season came to an end Saturday, June 2 at Jim Reeves Memorial Field.

Hooks swept the best-ofthree series to claim the Region III Class 2A crown and advance to the state tournament.

Woodville, which was making its third consecutive appearance in the regional finals, finishes the season at 23-11. The Eagles were the 2A state champions in 2005. They lost last year in the Region III finals to Hughes Springs.

Hooks (28-8) will make its first trip to the state tournament in 12 years. The Hornets were semifinalists in 1995. They were state runners up in 1994 and 1987 - the team's only trips to state.

"We did not take advantage of what he was giving us," Woodville coach Neil Hennigan said of Hooks' pitcher Trey Simmons, who struck out 12 while allowing just three hits. "He was either throwing to the outside and over the middle. He did the same thing over and over again. We tried to crowd the plate. We refused to do what we needed to do."

The Eagles got a one-out double from pitcher Reese Winters. Braeden Riley then bounded a hard shot that Hooks shortstop Junior Willis couldn't handle for an error, allowing Woodville to take a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. However, Riley was tagged out at second after being caught in a rundown.

The run would be Woodville's only lead.

Kyle Fisher led off the top of the second with a double and advanced to third as the throw back into the infield got away for an error. Tony Hight singled up the middle to score Fisher. Josh Stevens walked and two outs later, Matt Riddle blooped a base hit into shallow center field to drive in the Hornets' second run.

Leading off the third, Brandon Choate ripped a Winters' fastball over the left field fence for a solo home run and a 3-1 Hooks' lead.

Woodville threatened in the fourth against Simmons.

Up until that inning, the Hornet left-hander had struck out seven consecutive batters and eight of 10 he'd faced to start the game.

Winters opened the fourth with a base on balls. Riley reached when Hooks second baseman Jon Phillips mishandled a potential double play to put runners at second and third with no outs. Simmons recorded a strikeout for the first out of the inning, but Micah Mitchell, who came in as a courtesy runner for Winters, scored on Trey Ford's groundball out.

Simmons ended the threat by recording his 10th strikeout of the game. Both of Woodville's runs against him were unearned.

Hooks captured the first game of the series 1-0 with a run in the eighth inning.

Brandon Choate's basesloaded single in the bottom of the eighth inning lifted Hooks to the victory in the best-of-three Class 2A Region III Final series against the Eagles.

The loss also snapped a 16-game winning streak for Woodville (23-10), which is making its third straight appearance in the regional finals. The Eagles were the Class 2A state champions in 2005.

Hooks (27-8) loaded the bases in the eighth against Woodville right-hander Brandon Riley, who had a no-hitter going through 5 2/3 innings. Tad Hill opened the inning with an infield single that glanced off the right hip of Riley. Matt Ridge followed with a walk and Jon Phillips reached on a fielder's choice as Eagle third baseman Taylor Thompson was unsuccessful in trying to get a force out of Hill.

With the Eagles' infield drawn in, Choate laced a base hit through the left side of the infield to bring home Phillips with the game-winner for the Hornets.

The Hooks' player poured out of the dugout to mob Phillips, then ran up the first base line to engulf Choate.

The game had been a pitchers' duel between Riley and the Hornets' Josh Stevens. Riley allowed just three hits while striking out 15. Stevens also surrendered three hits and recorded 14 strikeouts.

Woodville's only real scoring opportunity came in the top of the sixth when Brian MacGinnis singled with one out and Reese Winters walked with two outs.

However, Stevens got his counterpart Riley to ground out to first to end the threat.