No. 1 Pearland punches ticket to state baseball tournament
June 8, 2023
The Lady Oilers beat Denton Guyer 4-2 to capture the 2023 Class 6A state softball title and now the No. 1 state-ranked Oilers have an opportunity to bring both titles to Pearland.
The Oilers faced the Katy Tigers in the 6A Region III finals and came away with the best-of-three series 7-0 and 2-1 to advance to the state baseball tournament in Round Rock. Pearland will play Austin Westlake on June 9 at 7:00 p.m. at Dell Diamond. Cy-Woods and Flower Mound meet in the other semifinal contest at 4:00 p.m. on Friday.
The Oilers won their lone state title in 1980 and other appearances came in 1981, 1984, 2009 and 2014.
Pearland 7 - Katy 0
Pearland set the pace of how this best-of-three series was going to go as they dominated Katy 7-0 in the series opener.
Katy (30-7-3) lost for the first time in the post-season.
Arizona State commit sophomore Nico Partida fired a three-hitter while striking out two and walking two in a seven-inning complete shutout performance.
Pearland loaded the bases in the fourth with a one-out walk to Braeden Morse, a single to left by Anthony Avalos and a walk to John Moya.
Oilers right fielder Isaiah Castaneda then smoked a single to centerfield to plate two runs, and a throwing error put runners on second and third.
Pearland catcher Cade Adams then laid down a perfect squeeze bunt to score Moya, and Brett Smajstrla followed with a run-scoring single for a 4-0 lead.
The Oilers then stretched the lead to 5-0 on three consecutive walks and a wild pitch with Anthony Avalos at bat.
Katy ended the scoring threat as Moya struck out and Castaneda hit into an inning-ending double play.
Caden Ferraro delivered an RBI single in the sixth to boost the Oilers' lead to 6-0, and an error brought home Pearland's final run in the seventh to post the 7-0 final score and take a 1-0 lead in the series.
Leading hitter for Pearland included Ferraro (1-for-4, 1 RBI), Damian Landry (1-for-2, 1 run), Partida (1-for-3), Avalos (2-for-3, 1 run), Moya (1-for-2, 2 runs, 2B), Castaneda (1-for-4, 1 run, 2 RBIs), and Smajstrla (2-for-4, 1 run, 1 RBI).
Pearland 2 - Katy 1
Senior and Sam Houston commit Brett Smajstrla sent a two-out bloop single to center field to score Anthony Avalos from third base in the bottom of the seventh inning, lifting Pearland to a 2-1 win over Katy and a sweep of the Class 6A Region III championship series.
The win sends the Oilers (37-6) to the 6A state baseball tournament at Dell Diamond in Round Rock on Friday-Saturday, June 9-10.
The Oilers with make their sixth tournament appearance while winning the state title in 1980.
Pearland won for the 24th time in its last 25 games and got a pitching gem from junior Jaden Barfield who gave up only three hits while striking out seven and walking one.
Katy (30-8-3) scored one unearned run which prevented Pearland from throwing a fourth consecutive shutout.
Pearland took a 1-0 lead in the third inning after Isaiah Castenada tripled to right field and catcher Jace Caceres singled to center.
Katy scored an unearned run in the top of the fifth inning to knot up the score 1-1 before the Oilers dramatic seventh inning heroics by Pearland.
"This was a battle of warriors," Pearland head coach David Rogers said. "Both pitchers (Barfield and Katy's Lucas Moore) did a great job.
"Baseball is a game of inches, and it's unfortunate that one team has to lose."
Smajstrla made a sensational diving catch in left-centerfield in the first inning off the bat of Sutton Hull to deny Katy of at least one run.
"That was a game-saving catch," Rogers said. "We had Brett shaded toward left-center because Jaden's velo was up.
"Brett got a great jump and made an unbelievable catch."
Rogers had great things to say about Jaden Barfield as well.
"Indescribable," he said. "This is amazing. Hats off to these kids for everything they've done to make this happen.
"Just another absolutely great pitching performance from Jaden Barfield, and we finally helped him out in the seventh."
