The beat played on…
Hallsville brought old paint buckets, milk jugs, old drums and empty water coolers from the office, banging and shaking on them for seven innings in the Class 5A state title game against Barbers Hill.
It wasn't enough as Barbers Hill captured its first ever state baseball championship 2-1 in a game that had a little bit of everything from big-name recruits to controversy.
So, let's paint the picture at the beautiful Dell Diamond in Round Rock, Texas.
Texas Tech signee and Barbers Hill shortstop Cameron Cauley made a spectacular play in the top of the first, then led off with a single and scored in the bottom of the frame as it seemed like the high-scoring Eagles were on their way.
Not so fast. Hallsville lefty (TCU 2023-commit) Landon Bowden calmed down and held Barbers Hill scoreless for the next four innings as the bangin' Bulldogs scored on an error in the third to tied it up at 1-1.
The Hill's Maddox Malone (5-1) went 3 2/3 before being relieved by Raithen Malone.
And the drums got a little louder...
Then came the bottom of the sixth. Hallsville's Bowden was pulled after a walk and an error by the first baseman to put two on. Reliever Bayden Hodges entered in a tough situation.
It then got really weird. A sac fly moved the runners to second and third with one out. Another sac fly looked like it gave Barbers Hill the lead 2-1. But, wait a minute.
It was ruled that Barbers Hill's runner on second left early and that made it a double-play to end the innning, nullifying the run. Hallsville took the field and the umpire flipped the ruling in Barbers Hill's favor.
The run would score, but the double-play held.
It was the timing of the appeal. When the Hallsville outfield caught the ball that was out number two. The runner tagged and scored. The umpire did rule that the runner from second left early and he was called out. But the appeal was after the run had crossed the plate.
2-1 Barbers Hill.
Weird.
But the drums kept beating for Hallsville.
However, Malone went 1, 2, 3 on the top of the seventh... ball game and state title.
Raithen Malone was named the game's MVP.
What a year it's been for Barbers Hill, who won the state championship in softball last weekend and the baseball team followed suit.
By the way... the drums eventually stopped.
