Hippos sweep into quarterfinals

By Joe Hawkins

LORENA — With one out in the bottom of the fifth, Hutto catcher John Cannon drew a base on balls and came home on a Garrett Carey triple over the first base bag to break up a scoreless game.

That lead turned into a 4-1 win over Groesbeck in Game 1 of a best-of-three series Thursday. On Friday, Hutto completed their sweep of the Goats with an extra innings, 2-0 win, advancing them to the regional quarterfinals of the Class 3A state baseball playoffs.

In Game 2, with the game scoreless, Groesbeck got a hit to left field, moving a runner home. Andrew Carson stopped the ball in left field and fired it home, gunning down the runner and saving a run.

In the next Hippo at bat, with runners at first and second, Austin Aday stepped up to the plate and fired a double, scoring Hutto’s first run and breaking open the game.

Hutto squeezed in another run to take the 2-0 win and seal the victory.

On Thursday, Chris Thomison went six strong innings, improving to 6-3 on the season, with nine strikeouts and allowing five hits. Carey came on in relief.

“Thomison really did a great job for us. The only run they scored was unearned,” Hutto coach Pete Schmidt said. “Carey also had a super game at the plate and on defense.”

Hutto added their second run in the fifth when Carey crossed the plate on a balk by Groesbeck pitcher T. J. Bozeman, extending their lead to 2-0.

Carey turned a double play in the top of the sixth, after Groesbeck scored their lone run. With runners at first and second, Carey made a leaping catch at short and threw to second for the last two outs of the inning.

Two runs in the sixth padded Hutto’s lead, as Brett Higginbotham lined a two-RBI double to right field.

First baseman Shaun Simmons snared a line shot and stepped on the bag for a double play to lead off the final inning. Carey struck out the final Goat batter to preserve the Hippo win.

Hutto will face Carthage in the regional quarterfinals in a best-of-three series. All games will be played in Corsicana, with game one Thursday at 7:30 p.m. and game two Saturday at 1 p.m. Game three, if necessary, will follow.