The News staff report and The Orange Leader

CROSBY — Port Neches-Groves was down to its final out, and then a comeback like none other occurred.

A dramatic sequence in the top of the seventh inning allowed PNG to score three runs in the top of the seventh, and the Indians pulled out a series victory in the 5A Region III area round, 4-3 over Manvel on Saturday.

Hayden Guerra’s bases loaded walk with two outs allowed Cam-Ron Abate to score the first run of the seventh. Manvel starter Jonathan Jones, who had given up the only two PNG hits, had to leave after 112 pitches, and Alex Razo came in to try for the save.

His next two batters were both hit by pitches. Logan LeJeune took a pitch to force in Trevor Martin for the tying run and, facing a 3-2 count, Austin Bost did the same to allow Jacob Vaughan to put the Indians (26-6-2) ahead.

Damon Fernandez reached on an error to start the Manvel seventh, but Nathan Vidrine got the next two batters to ground out and the one after that to strike out, sending PNG to the regional quarterfinal round against Barbers Hill.

PNG coach Scott Carter said the series will be home-and-home, but details have not been finalized.

Manvel jumped ahead 3-0 in the first inning, all on unearned runs. A balk by Jones allowed Martin to put the Indians on the board in the fifth inning.

Vidrine held Manvel to three hits and struck out eight. Jones struck out three.

ORANGEFIELD 5, HARDIN-JEFFERSON 1

PORT NECHES — The Orangefield Bobcats strolled past the Hardin-Jefferson Hawks 5-1 to take Game 2 and captured the series in the Class 4A Region III area round of the playoffs Saturday at Port Neches-Groves High School.

The Bobcats (18-9) will look to keep the momentum from these two games going moving deeper into the playoffs. The Bobcat win sets up an Orange County showdown in the regional quarterfinals against the West Orange-Stark Mustangs next week.

Starting pitcher Mason Gonzalez threw the entire game only giving up five hits with one run on seven strikeouts. Gonzalez struggled the first couple of innings and but it didn’t take him long to find his groove as he controlled the Hawks the rest of the way.

WO-STARK 7, TARKINGTON 4

JASPER — After outscoring their opponents 33-1 in their first three playoff games this season, the West Orange-Stark Mustangs got a slight reality check against the Tarkington Longhorns in Game Two of the 4A Region III area round.

After falling behind early and not taking their first lead until the top of the sixth inning the Mustangs slipped past the Longhorns with a 7-4 win to advance to the quarterfinal round. Chad Dallas pitched a complete game, striking out five of the final seven batters he faced.