PG shuts out Argyle, 8-0

Pleasant Grove starting pitcher Tyler Jeans fires in a strike Saturday in the second inning of game 2 of Region II Semi-Final against Argyle at Mike Carter Field in Tyler. The Hawks won, 8-0, and swept the Eagles in the series.
Pleasant Grove starting pitcher Tyler Jeans fires in a strike Saturday in the second inning of game 2 of Region II Semi-Final against Argyle at Mike Carter Field in Tyler. The Hawks won, 8-0, and swept the Eagles in the series.

TYLER, Texas-Tyler Jeans tossed a 3-hitter and Pleasant Grove's bats came alive in the sixth inning as the Hawks advanced to the regional finals with an 8-0 shutout win over Argyle in Game 2 of the Region II-4A semifinals Saturday at Mike Cater Field.

Pleasant Grove plated four runs each in the sixth and the seventh frames to upend Argyle.

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All regional finals games between the Hawks and Decatur will be played at Mike Carter Field in Tyler, Texas, and Game 1 is Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. Game 2 is Thursday at noon, and a third game, if needed, will follow Game 2.

Jeans threw a 3-hitter, allowed no runs, struck out six, hit one batter and walked two.

"I was a little nervous, but I was feeling good," Jeans said. "My defense took care of me. It feels pretty good to be in the regional finals, but we're not done yet."

The Hawks swept the best-of-3 series against Argyle, 2-0.

"Tyler kept competing," Pleasant Grove head coach Riley Fincher said. "To see the way he competed up there, I can't say enough about it.

"This was an outstanding contest, and their pitcher did good. I thought our offensive approach was good, we were finally able to scratch some runs across, and hitting became contagious."

Caleb Bolden, who had doubled, scored the first run of the game. With the bases loaded, Connor Ouellette smacked a 3-run triple to right center as the Hawks took a 4-0 lead.

Jeans (13-0) retired the side in the first inning with a strikeout and two pop flys to center.

Keaton Russo led off with a single to shallow left, and Jeans walked with no outs for the Hawks in the second.

Courtesy runner Logan Overmyer landed on third with two outs after two fielders' choices, but Pleasant Grove was unable to get him home.

The Eagles got two on with no outs in the second, but Jeans worked out of the jam as shortstop Caleb Bolden touched second and made the throw to first for a double play to end the threat.

The Hawks got into a jam in the fifth inning as Argyle had runners on the corners with one out. But Jeans struck out the next batter, and induced a ground ball to get out of the threat.

Bolden singled to left center to lead off the sixth, and Heath Ferguson walked. Carson Cox hit a hot roller back to the pitcher, and the throw to third sailed wide as Bolden scored to put PG up 1-0.

Jeans was intentionally walked to juice the bases with one out in the sixth frame.

Ouellette smacked a 3-run triple to right center as the Hawks took a 4-0 lead.

With an out in the seventh, Bolden hit the top of the fence in left center for a double for the Hawks. Ferguson reached on an error, and Cox was hit by a pitch to juice the bases.

Russo walked on four straight pitches as courtesy runner Layne Martindale scored to make it 5-0.

Jeans blasted a hot roller past the first baseman as two more runs scored as the Hawks took a commanding 7-0 lead.

Ouellette bunted on safely and earned his fourth RBI of the game as courtesy runner Logan Overmyer scored to make it 8-0.

Argyle starting pitcher Sean Bolin pitched 6 1/3 innings, scattered five hits, gave up four runs, struck out five, walked two, hit two batters, and threw 92 pitches.

Ouellette was 2 for 4 with 4 RBI, a single, and a triple for the Hawks. Jeans was 1 for 2 with 2 RBI, and teammate Bolden was 2 for 4 with a double and a single.

Pleasant Grove improved to 33-3, while Argyle ended its season at 25-3.

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Sean Bolin, Hayden Clearman (7) and Austin King. Tyler Jeans, Will Hlavinka (7) and Keaton Russo. WP-Jeans. LP-Bolin.

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