WHITEHOUSE, Texas – Liberty-Eylau senior Nate Moore and his “Killer Bees” stung Godley Saturday to reach the Region II-4A championship game or series next week.
Moore pitched a complete game, and the Leopards rallied for five runs in the bottom of the sixth at Wildcats Field to end Godley’s season, 5-3. L-E (29-10-2) advances to play Pleasant Grove or Melissa.
The Leopards’ “Killer Bee” lineup features Colby Brooks, Braylon Blair, Gage Bellatti, Bryce Blackwell, Hunter Burks and Zach Brush. Five of those players reached base safely in the sixth.
Brooks ignited the rally when he was hit by Wildcat starter Landry McKittrick. Moore followed with a single to left, which Blair duplicated to load the bases. That brought Godley reliever Kole Allen to the mound.
‘Killer Bees’ sting Godley in sixth inning rally
Bellatti greeted Allen with a triple that cleared the bases and tied the game. A couple of pitches later Blackwell doubled home Bellatti for the decisive run. Burks walked, and Brush moved both runners up on a grounder to second. Xander Worthy then lined a single to center. Blackwell scored, but Burks was thrown out on a close play at the plate.
Moore did the rest in the seventh, with the help of a doubleplay. The crafty right-hander held the Wildcats hitless for three innings. Moore ran into trouble after a single, and ground-rule double in the fourth. Ryan Block drove in the game’s first run with a single, and Trevor Smith doubled home another.
Godley added its third run in the fifth on a single, sacrifice bunt, and double by McKittrick.