By Ronnie Hughes

Orange Leader

PORTER — West Orange-Stark advances in the Class 4A playoffs with a huge win over Giddings in the area round.

Giddings forced three games but the Mustangs would come from behind to take Game 3 11-8 after trailing 8-7 entering the bottom of the sixth inning.

The Mustangs put together a whole team effort in the Game 3 win with Chad Dallas getting the win on the mound after entering the game in the fifth and down a run. K.J. Miller hit the go-ahead RBI to lift his team with Ryan Ragsdale hitting a two-run RBI for some security runs.

The Mustangs entered Game 2 of the 4A area round with a one game advantage over the Giddings Buffaloes after a narrow, 3-2, win Thursday night. The Mustangs faltered in Game 2, 7-2.

The Stangs found themselves in an early 2-0 hole with the Buffaloes scoring in the bottom of the first and second innings. Dacota Kaufman scored one run and batted in another for Giddings.

West Orange-Stark finally got some offense going in the top of the third inning. Miller singled to short stop to open the inning with Payton Robertson reaching on an E-4 to put two runners on and no outs. Jack Dallas launched a shot to left field to bring home Miller to pull the Stangs within one run of the Buffaloes. Robertson scooted across the plate a few batters later as Caleb Ramsey hit a two out RBI single with bases loaded. Blake Robinson popped out to first base leaving three Mustang runners stranded ending the side tied at two runs each.

Giddings went three-up-three-down in the bottom of third and fourth innings. The Mustangs were unable to take advantage of the defensive effort leaving a runner stranded in the top of the fourth and two runners in the top of the fifth inning. The Buffaloes got help on a wild pitch that scored Dakota Best from third base to recapture the lead, 3-2, after five complete innings.

The Mustangs went for a quick one-two-three inning in the top of sixth which gave way to a huge inning for the Buffaloes. Two walks and a hit batter loaded the bases with Dacota Kaufman scoring Tyler Medac on an RBI single to shallow right field. The Mustangs faced a tough decision being down 4-2 and taking Payton Robertson out the game for Caleb Ramsey. Ramsey gave up three runs to follow. Ryan Garcia knocked in Shelby Becker on a line shot to center field. Zack Albers followed suit with an RBI single of his own and giving the Buffaloes a commanding, 7-2 lead, heading into the final inning.

West Orange-Stark took control of Game 3 early. A five-run bottom of the first was the jolt the Stangs’ needed after a lackluster finish to Game 2. Miller kept his bat alive leading off with single to shallow left field. Following a Payton Robertson walk, Jack Dallas hit a chopper to third to score Miller. Ragsdale loaded the bases with a single to right field and Chad Dallas kept the bats moving with a sac-fly RBI. The Stangs batted through the order with Blake Robinson capping off the inning with a an RBI single to score B.B. Tezeno.

Ragsdale was on the bump in game three for the Stangs, and the Buffaloes started a rally on him as he’d give up five runs in the top of the third. With two outs, Kyle Jones took a full count pitch though to load the bases for the Buffaloes with Tyler Medac hitting a two-run double to deep left to pull game within one run, 5-4. Carson Becker tied the game at five runs each with an RBI single to left field.

The Mustangs kept pushing forward with two runs in the bottom of third. Ragsdale led off with a monster double to right field with Chad Dallas reaching on a chopper up the middle to put runners in the corner. Ragsdale scored on an attempted pick off leading to a wild throw. Tezeno later scored for a 7-5 Mustang lead after three complete innings.

The Buffaloes came stampeding back with Ryan Garcia scoring in the top of fourth to pull game to 7-6. The Mustang bats went cold following a Buffalo pitching change.

Giddings slipped two runs across in the top of the sixth inning to overtake the Mustangs. Garcia scored his third run of the game with Dakota Best hitting his second RBI to drive home Kaufman to give the Buffaloes a 8-7 advantage heading into the bottom half of the inning.

WO-S quickly got two runners on the bag in the bottom of the sixth. Tre Bernard  scored the tying run on a wild pitch as he was able to scamper in from third base. Miller stepped into a 3-1 count and hit into a sac-fly to score Carter and the give the Stangs the lead, 9-8.

Jack Dallas ripped a shot past short to put two on the bags again with Ragsdale due up and facing two outs. Ragsdale took the first pitch to the center field wall to score both Dallas and Robertson to boost the Mustangs out front, 11-8.

Chad Dallas quickly sat down the first batter and the defense cleaned up the final two to secure the victory that ushers the Mustangs into the next round.