WHITEHOUSE, Texas-The early lead almost lasted until the end.
Douglass plated two runs in the sixth to edge Maud, 3-2, in Game 1 of a best-of-three series in a Class 2A regional semifinal baseball game at Wildcat Field on Thursday.
"Douglass executed in the tight spots when things got a little hairy," Maud head coach Joel Windham said. "They executed at the right time, place and situation. "We had a man on second with two outs, but just couldn't keep it going. We got a little overly aggressive toward the end.
"I am proud of the way the kids played. We hit the ball well early on."
Starting Maud pitcher Cade Townsend scattered seven hits, gave up three runs, struck out three and walked four.
Game 2 is at Whitehouse High School's Wildcat Field at 5 p.m. with a Game 3, if needed, to follow 30 minutes after Game 2.
Down by one with two outs in the seventh, Payton Windham hit a Texas Leaguer double down the third base side to give Maud some hope. But Windham was left stranded as the game ended on a strike out.
Cameron Mills slapped a two-out, one-run single past the third baseman to score Gage Jones, who had doubled down the left field line, to give Maud an early 1-0 in the first.
Douglass matched the Cardinals' run in the first on an RBI single to center field to make it 1-1.
Rayne Bailey led off the second with a single up the middle for Maud. Payton Windham reached on a fielder's choice as Bailey was thrown out at second. Courtesy runner Ryan Griffin came in to run for Windham.
Hunter Thomas singled to center to put runners on first and second with an out. Josh Luther acted like he struck out on strike two, and the runners attempted a double steal. Griffin was thrown out at third for the second out, and the Douglass baseball team started to leave the field thinking it was the third out.
As the Indians started to leave, Thomas moved up to third, and scored, two pitches later on a wild pitch to give Maud a 2-1 lead after two innings.
The Indians had runners on first and second with no outs in the third. But Townsend induced a ground ball, a fly out, and fanned the next batter to get out of the inning.
With Douglass runner Avery Arnold on second and two outs, Cory Melton hit a single to center, but Maud center fielder Brooks Minter threw perfectly to catcher Payton Windham as Arnold was tagged out at home in the fourth frame. Minter's precise throw saved the run.
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Cade Townsend and Payton Windham. Logan Lee, Wyatt Tucker (7) and Chad Watson. WP-Lee. LP-Townsend.