Argyle rallies past Boerne Champion to reach sixth state title game in last decade

The Eagles found ways to manufacture runs in a game that featured 18 combined walks and four hit batters between the two teams. They scored two runs on sacrifice flies, one on a walk, one on a hit-by-pitch and another on a balk to ultimately prevail.

“We just weren’t hitting well,” Griffin said. “I gave two straight hit-and-runs just to get the guys swinging and have something going on, because it was just stagnant, and I thought we were about to lose 2-0 if we didn’t. They responded well.

“It’s kind of a microcosm of our season. We don’t play very well, then we find a way to win late. That’s kind of what we’ve done throughout the playoffs.”

Reid Ross threw 4 2/3 innings of no-hit relief with four walks and three strikeouts to help the Eagles rally and hold on after surrendering a pair of runs early.

With the win, Argyle (35-10-2) advances to face Magnolia West (35-5) in the 5A state championship game, which is set for a noon first pitch Saturday back at Dell Diamond. Magnolia West defeated Frisco Reedy (28-16) in Thursday’s earlier 5A semifinal.

Argyle earned its sixth state tournament appearance in program history this season — all within the last decade — after winning Game 3s in four of its first five playoff series. The Eagles have won three state championships, in 2015, 2018 and 2019, and reached the 4A state title game last year before falling to Sinton.

Champion got on the board in the top of the first inning when a runner stole third, then took home when a throw from catcher Hunter Sandifer missed over the third baseman’s head into shallow left field.

The Chargers added another run in the second on an RBI double that just stayed inside the left-field line.

Argyle evened the score in the bottom of the fourth as Alex D’Angelo was hit by a pitch, then Conor Lillis walked, and Sandifer was hit by a pitch before Brayden Rosckes walked to bring in a run. Colton Roquemore was then hit by a pitch as well to score a second run with the bases loaded as the Eagles tied it at 2-2 despite still not having a hit.

“We just did enough to score some runs and come out with the win,” Sandifer said. “We knew the umpire had a tight zone, so we were just waiting around for our pitch. If it didn’t come, it didn’t come, and we got a free base.

“We’ve come back from behind at times this year, so we know we’re good at that. We just kept grinding out ABs, kept getting hits and scored some runs.”

Argyle took its first lead of the game in the fifth as Grady Emerson drew a leadoff walk, then reached third on a hit-and-run when D’Angelo singled for the team’s first hit before Park Prater hit a sacrifice fly to right-center that scored Emerson. Another run scored on a bases-loaded balk to give the Eagles a 4-2 lead through five.

One more run came across in the sixth as Prater hit his second sacrifice fly of the day to right field, scoring Emerson.

As the Eagles take on a Magnolia West team that has dominated many teams on the season, they know a better performance will be needed to win another state title.

“I told ‘em in our meeting, I said ‘If you play like this Saturday, then Magnolia will run-rule you,’” Griffin said. “They’re that good. We can’t play like that, and I don’t think we will. I really don’t. Hopefully we’ve got that one out of our system and we’ll play better on Saturday.”