The Waxahachie High School baseball team used two dominating pitching performances to post shutout victories in a 48-hour span — both on the road.
On Tuesday night, Casey Kelly pitched a five-inning one-hitter as the Indians run-ruled DeSoto, 13-0; then on Thursday night, it was Jared Thomas’ turn in a two-hit, 10-srikeout whitewash as the Tribe eased past Mansfield Lake Ridge, 2-0, running the Indians’ district shutout streak to three.
In Thursday night’s contest, the Indians (16-6, 4-2) were themselves held to only three hits, but were helped by four Lake Ridge errors. Xavien Thompson led the way with two of those hits, including a double. Jacob Cruz singled for the only other hit for WHS.
The Indians broke on top 1-0 in the second inning as Cade Davis scored on a balk by Eagles starter Jason Davis. They added an insurance run in the seventh on Thomas’ sacrifice fly to left, scoring Lucas Ferguson.
Lake Ridge got the potential tying run to the plate in the bottom of the seventh, but Thomas struck out the final two batters looking to nail down the victory.
With a low pitch count from the previous Friday’s game, WHS head baseball coach Tracy Wood handed the ball to Kelly again on Tuesday night, and Kelly delivered with a crisp five frames as the Indians blasted DeSoto.
Anthony Mata finished with two doubles, and Thomas and Thompson also stroked two-baggers as the Tribe finished with 12 hits on the night. Thomas finished with four RBI and three runs scored, Mata had three RBI, and Jaxon Crow added two hits and two RBI.
The Indians scored five runs in the third, highlighted by Thomas’ 2-run double followed by an RBI double by Mata. Two more runs scored on errors. Then in the top of the fifth, WHS broke the game open with eight more runs as Mata’s 2-RBI double capped the outburst.
The Indians will come back from a long Easter weekend on Tuesday with a return to Richards Park to host Waco Midway at 7 p.m.