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Baseball team avenges only district defeat to win sixth straight District 5A title

Adrian Pena and Dave Winter
May 3, 2016
Photo by Dave Winter
Quentin Reed’s sixth-inning home run cleared the left-field fence in a hurry. Photo by Dave Winter

Sam Russell pitched a complete game without yielding an earned run, and Quentin Reed hit a home run to cap a night of Knight long ball as McCallum defeated visiting Cedar Creek, 4-1, in a winner-take-all game that decided the District 26-5A title Friday night at Northwest Park.

Reed’s homer over the left field fence came in the bottom of the sixth after Jesse Levy-Rubinett nearly homered to right-center field. The towering shot bounced off the yellow ribbon for a double. After a passed ball and a throwing error, Levy-Rubinett scored to make it 3-1. Reed’s shot made it 4-1 then Russell retired the side in order in the top of the seventh for the win.

The title is the Knights’ sixth straight district championship. The Knights finished district play with a 15-1 record, one game better than the Eagles’ 14-2 district mark. Both teams will advance to the state playoffs.

The Knights broke up a scoreless game in the bottom of the fourth with two runs after singles by Ben Wangrin, Luke Richter, Jesse Reed and Russell. The Eagles answered with an unearned run in the top of the fifth.

Friday’s game was a rematch after the two teams clashed in a tense, back-and-forth classic at Cedar Creek on Tuesday night. In that game, McCallum lost 3-2 in 9 innings. After scoring one run in the first when Angel Vasquez stole home and one in the top of the ninth when starting pitcher Jonah Smith scored the potential winning win, the Knights lost their first district game as the Eagles plated two runs in the bottom of the ninth to force the winner-take-district showdown between two 14-1 teams.

The Knights will open the bi-district playoffs by traveling to Cedar Park Friday for the first game of a best-of-three series. First pitch is at 7 p.m. The Knights will host Game 2 at noon Saturday at NW Pony. If the teams split the first two games, game 3 will begin at NW Pony 20 minutes after the end of Game 2.

The Eagles host Vista Ridge in the first game in a best-of-three Bi-District series on Friday. Game 2 is at Vista Ridge on Saturday and if necessary Game 3.

The Texas High School Baseball website ranked McCallum (21-4) No. 12 in its final regular season Top 25 5-A poll.

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Baseball team avenges only district defeat to win sixth straight District 5A title