Pearland sweeps Clear Brook in opening round of the playoffs
May 11, 2024
Pearland won the District 23-6A title for the third straight year and look to make a return to Dell Diamond in Round Rock to the state tourney where they lost in the state title game last year to Flower Mound 6-4.
The Oilers blew out Austin Westlake 11-1 in the 6A state semifinals before coming up short in the state finals.
Now the playoffs have begun and the Oilers are back on the journey to return back to the state tournament as they have some unfinished business from last year.
Clear Brook finished third in District 24-6A (8-3) and entered the post-season with an 18-14-1 season record.
Pearland opened the best-of-three series with a 4-0 shutout over the Wolverines as Oklahoma commit senior Jaiden Barfield took the mound to pitch a one-hitter in six innings while striking out nine and walking four. All-State pitcher junior Nico Partida closed out the game in the seventh frame with two strikeouts.
The Oilers score runs in the first and second innings for a 2-0 advantage and then closed out the game with two runs in the sixth to get the 4-0 win.
Pearland was limited to only four hits as Partido, Ashton Arredondo (2B), John Moya (2B), and Daniel Ontiveros each collected hits for the Oilers.
Pearland 6 - Clear Brook 2
Pearland senior pitcher Jake Mader-Cooper took the mound against Clear Brook and delivered a two-hitter to post a 6-2 win to sweep the Wolverines in the best-of-three series.
The Oilers gave Mader-Cooper plenty of offensive support with nine hits that produced six runs.
Pearland scored all their runs in the first four frames and then watched as Mader-Cooper allowed only two hits, two runs, four walks, and eight strikeouts in five innings of work.
The Oilers scored a run in the first frame, two runs in the second and third innings, and one in the fourth for a 6-0 lead.
Clear Brook managed to plate a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth but that would be all the Pearland pitching staff would allow.
Pearland leading hitters included junior Cade Adams (1-for-3, 1 RBI, 2B), senior Daniel Ontiveros (2-for-4, 2RBIs), sophomore Brady Brewer (1-for-4, 1 run), sophomore Ashton Arredondo (1-for-3, 1 run, 1 RBI, 3B), senior John Moya (2-for-4, 1 run, 1 RBI, 2B), and junior Walker Hurst (1-for-3, 1 RBI).
Pearland advances to the Class 6A Region III area round to face the Dobie Longhorns in a best-of-three series.
