CARTHAGE, Texas—One would think Chase Malone would have been a little arm-weary after pitching both games of West Sabine’s Class A quarterfinal wins over Alto.

But Malone’s right arm turned out to be the antidote for McLeod’s lethal bats in the Tigers’ 2-0 victory over the Longhorns in Thursday’s opener of the Region III best-of-three semifinal series at Jim Reeves Memorial Field.

The series resumes with Game 2 at 6:30 p.m. today in Jacksonville. A McLeod win would force a third meeting 30 minutes after the first game’s completion.

Malone allowed just two...