Northeast Texas baseball roundup: Atlanta eliminates Elysian Fields in Game 3 to clinch regional title

CARTHAGE, Texas – After falling in Game 2 of the series the night before, Atlanta scored one Saturday, exploding for four runs in the first and limiting Elysian Fields to just three hits to win the Area Round championship with a 6-2 victory.

The Rabbits advance to the regional quarterfinals to face Harmony or Daingerfield.

Atlanta’s big four-run first inning began with Cason Whatley’s two-run single up the middle, scoring Peyton Harrison and Easton Owens. In the next at-bat, an error allowed Mitchell and Watley to come home, giving the Rabbs a 4-0 lead.

In the fourth inning, Atlanta added two insurance runs. With the bases loaded, Jaden Riley and Owens drew walks to score two runs.

Woodruff gave the Rabbs a gem on the hill, striking out six, walking none and allowing two runs – one earned – on just three hits in seven innings. He also led the team with two hits, alongside Harrison, Whatley and Brady Partain.

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Rusk West 5, DeKalb 2

MARSHALL, Texas – After tying the series the previous game, DeKalb was unable to maintain its momentum heading into the deciding third game, losing to West Rusk, 5-2, Saturday in the area round to end the season.

West Rusk pushed three runs across the plate in the third, which would end up being all they needed the rest of the game.

DeKalb scored one in the second and one in the fourth before West Rusk added one each in the fifth and sixth innings.

Leadoff hitter Cortlen White led the Bears, who finished their season with a 20-9-1 record, with two hits.

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FRIDAY GAMES

DeKalb 4, Rusk West 3

MARSHALL, Texas — DeKalb defeated West Rusk, 4-3, in the second game of the best-of-three zone series Friday night to avoid elimination and force a deciding game three.

With a spot in the regional quarterfinals on the line, the teams will face off in a rubber match at 2 p.m. Saturday in Marshall. The winner will face Tatum, who beat Winnsboro in two games.

Jaylen White hit a double for DeKalb and had two hits, with Mason Salinas and Dom Dunn driving in a team-high two RBIs. White was also victorious on the mound, striking out five, walking one and allowing 10 hits over seven innings.

This victory marked the 20th of the season for the Bears.

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Champs Elysées 3, Atlanta 1

WASKOM, Texas — Elysian Fields scored all three runs over the final two innings to beat Atlanta, 3-1, in Game 2 and stay alive in the zone round series.

Atlanta scored the game’s first run in the first inning when Easton Owens popped out to center field and Peyton Harrison scored on an error.

The best-of-three series will take place in Carthage on Saturday, with first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m.

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Beckville 12, Maud 2

WINNSBORO, Texas — Coy Stephens doubled, singled twice and drove in five runs to support a dominant performance on the hill from Aiden Brantley, and the Beckville Bearcats closed out the zone round series with a 12-2 victory against Maud.

Maud finished with three hits from Rip Thomas, Reyce Bailey and Adrian Banales.

Beckville’s Brantley struck out 10, walked one and allowed three no-earned hits. Braxton Bullock doubled, singled and drove in two runs.