Canyon baseball eliminates Springtown to advance to regional final for first time since 2003
WOLFFORTH, Texas (KFDA) - The Canyon Eagles took down the Springtown Porcupines 8-1 on Thursday night to advance in the high school baseball playoffs.
Through the first four innings of the game, Springtown pitcher Brayden Fox was the star of the show. The Angelo State commit secured 10 of the first 12 outs of the game via strikeout, holding Canyon scoreless until the fifth inning.
That’s when the Eagles finally broke through.
After drawing back-to-back walks, Noah Sanchez laid down a bunt that caused serious trouble. Fox threw the ball away when trying to get the out at first, allowing Colt Cruth to come around to score and tie the game at 1-1.
As the inning continued, Zabien Urteaga singled to left to bring two more runs around to score. It was one of three hits on the day for Urteaga, the most of any player in the game.
The rally continued, as Jacob Burris added another RBI single. That hit made the score 5-1 and finally chased Fox from the game.
Urteaga followed up his big hit in the fifth with another RBI single in the sixth. In the very next at bat, Carson Allen hit an RBI double to extend the lead to 8-1.
The Springtown bats could never get much going at the plate. Colt Cruth and Bayler Schilling were dominant on the mound for the Eagles, combining to pitch 6.1 innings and allow just one run on six hits.
Noah Sanchez came on to secure the final two outs, sealing the victory for Canyon.
“There was a ton of emotions this week,” Canyon head coach John Doan said after the win. “With graduation, with the one game, just the end of school, people talking about the whole retirement thing with me and Coach Williams, a lot of emotions today.”
Doan and the Eagles remain the last Texas Panhandle team remaining in the high school baseball playoffs, with the longtime Eagles head coach set to retire at season’s end.
With the win, the Eagles will play the winner of Stephenville and Seminole in the regional final for the right to go to the state tournament. It’s the first time the Eagles have made it this far in the high school baseball playoffs since 2003.
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