NEDERLAND — After a 14-game unbeaten streak including 13 wins in a row, the season has come down to a road game for Nederland.

Galveston Ball scored a run each in the second and third innings and backed up a one-hit pitching effort by Keegan Gavin to take a 2-0 win Wednesday in Game 1 of a best-of-three 5A bi-district baseball series. The District 21-5A runner-up Bulldogs (16-10-2) have lost three games in a row since the big win string.

“We have a lot of energy coming toward playoffs,” Gavin said. “It’s our senior year, so we want to go out there hard. Coach [Russell] Ferrell really has us on our toes keeping up the energy. And, I’m really confident with our defense.”

Game 2 is scheduled for 7:30 tonight in Galveston. Game 3, if necessary, will begin at 5 p.m. Friday in Crosby.

The Bulldogs entered last week in position to clinch a second straight district title, but have been shut out in 17 straight innings. They last scored a run in the fourth inning of a 9-3 loss at Barbers Hill and was shut out at home, 3-0, by BH.

“I think that happens quite a bit when you face good pitching,” Bulldogs coach Bryan Spell said. “The guy from Barbers Hill, I believe, has a below-1 ERA and is 8-0 for a reason. That guy right there [Gavin], we faced earlier. He pitched extremely well again. We knew what we were up against.”

Ball beat Nederland 6-1 on Feb. 28 at Barbers Hill.

Wednesday’s 103-minute sprint saw Gavin throw nine strikeouts in 81 pitches. Nederland senior Conner Kemp tossed 11 strikeouts in 108 pitches (and struck out the side in the fifth inning), but the Bulldogs only reached base three times.

“Every time he steps on the mound he gives us a chance,” Spell said. “He’s been like that for three years.”

But the Tornadoes (15-4-1), the 22-5A third-place team, lined four hits off Kemp.

Spencer Addison led off the Ball second with single and touched home on a Gabe Freeman grounder. Chris Orton, topping the Tors’ order, tripled to lead off the third and was driven home on Jaylan Nixon’s groundout.

The Tors had a chance to break the game open in the fourth after starting off with two walks, but Adam Trevino was thrown out at the plate by shortstop Landon Hiltz and Kemp caught Thomas Farmer stealing home.

Gavin moved along quickly after giving up a single to No. 2 hitter Adam Roccaforte in the Bulldogs’ side of the first inning. He walked two and did not face more than four batters in an inning.

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I.C. Murrell: 721-2435. Twitter: @ICMurrellPANews