LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) – The 4th ranked New Home Leopards are this week’s Extra Innings Team of the Week after sweeping the Christoval Cougars 15-5 and 14-3 in the Regional Semifinals to advance to the Regional Finals.
The Leopards opened up game one trailing 1-0 to the Christoval Cougars until Ryder Starkey and Bransen Beckham helped give them the lead with a double to centerfield followed by a sacrifice fly for the 2-1 lead. The Cougars would jump up to a 3-2 lead in the third but that is when the bats heated up for New Home with a nine-run third inning to give them the 11-3 insurance lead.
From there they would go to work limiting Christoval’s damage, getting the 15-5 win. Tucker Cotton got the start on the mound pitching five innings striking out five batters and in relief Avin Madrid pitched just one inning, striking out two. Hunter Burrell led the way with four runs on four hits for New Home as the Leopards had 15 runs off 13 hits with Tucker Watkins and Cotton both having a multiple hit game. New Home also showed their patience at the plate, drawing six walks and turned one double play in Thursday’s game one win over the Cougars.
The Leopards carried that game one momentum into game two on Saturday with an explosive 14-3 win over Christoval to sweep the series. Things were tied up at the end of the first at three, all with Beckham and Jair Johnson bringing in all three runs. Burrell continued his game one magic into game two as he singled to centerfield in the second inning as Beckham hit a sacrifice fly followed by a Jonson hit by pitch, all scoring one run each. Things would remain a 6-3 New Home lead until the 5th inning where the Leopards brought in five runs. Burrell this time drawing a walk bringing in one run. But Starkey was the spark in the fifth inning, bases loaded and he sent a ball out of the park for the grand slam making this one an 11-3 New Home ball game. Johnson pitched three innings to start this one off with two strikeouts and Avin Madrid came in for relief pitching four innings striking out three batters. The Leopards collected 14 runs off 11 hits with Beckham and Tucker both collecting three hits each. New Home also draw seven walks turning two double plays in the Leopards 14-3 win in game two.
Up next, the 4th ranked New Home Leopards get ready for the Regional Finals on Friday at Lubbock Cooper Liberty where they will take on a familiar team in the New Deal Lions at 12 p.m. The Leopards took on the Lions this time last year in the Regional Finals, getting the 2-0 series sweep over New Deal,l sending New Home to the State Semifinals.
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