The Wildcats celebrate the Game 3 win over Rowlett
Decisive Game 3’s in high school baseball playoffs often come down to which team has the most pitching depth. Saturday, that team was Lake Highlands.
Senior Byron Burns tossed a 1-hit shutout to slam the door on Rowlett, 4-0, in another pressure-packed game at Wildcat Field.
Burns did not allow a baserunner until the fourth inning and went four-and-a-third innings before giving up the only hit of the game to Rowlett.
“I just knew if I could get my curveball working I would be fine,” Burns said. “I knew if I could get a lot of ground balls my defense could get it done.”
Get it done they did, as the Cats put together their second error-free game to win the bi-district series, two games to one. Lake Highlands next faces the winner of the series between Mesquite and Killeen Ellison.
“We went with our No. 2 pitcher [Burns] and I knew they were down in their staff with their No. 3 or 4 guy,” LH coach Jay Higgins said. “I liked my chances with a curveball pitcher and they haven’t hit the curveball well.”
Higgins, in his 43rd year of coaching the Wildcats, proved he’s still got some moves off the field as well. A couple of players tried to sneak up behind him with a dugout cooler but he alertly sidestepped the shower of water and ice.
While Burns was cruising, the Wildcats managed a couple of hits off Rowlett starter Austin Quade in the first two innings before finally putting together a rally in the third. After a leadoff hit by Cameron Bodell, power hitter Blake Woodson was intentionally walked. That set the stage for an RBI double by Michael Ketchmark. Woodson later scored on an wild pitch and Ketchmark came home on a single up the middle by Judson Luther for a 3-0 lead.
Since neither team had led by more than a run in the first two games, LH was in good shape at that point. But the Cats remained aggressive.
David Bloodworth led off the bottom of the fourth with sharp hit down the left field line. He slid under the tag at second for a double, then stole third while the Rowlett second baseman, still fuming about the call, stomped around the infield with the ball in his glove.
Ryan Browder followed with a single to score Bloodworth and give Burns a four-run lead to work with over the last three innings.
“I knew they were a good-hitting team and that they could come back,” said Burns.
Rowlett’s biggest threat came in the top of the fifth when speedy Josh Powell doubled and easily stole third. The next batter walked to put runners at the corners with one out, but Burns and the infield turned a 1-6-3 double play to snuff the rally.
Burns got the final six outs without any static and Lake Highlands, the fourth place team from 9-5A, claimed the series from the top seed out of 10-5A.
“We matched up well with them,” Higgins said. “I said before we began that the team that makes the fewest mistakes will win. We made some mistakes yesterday and lost, they made some mistakes today and it hurt them.”
