PARIS, Texas-Defense and the lack thereof played a major role in Maud's 3-0 victory over Hawkins on Friday afternoon in a Class 2A area game at Paris Chisum's Mustang Field.
The best-of-three series resumes today at 9 a.m. at the Mustang Field. If a third game is necessary, it will be played soon after the second game.
The Cardinals scored three unearned runs in the first inning after the first two batters reached on errors.
Three outstanding catches by Maud center fielder Haylon Dear denied Hawkins of several possible runs.
Cade Townsend, a senior left-hander, went the distance on the mound for Maud, tossing a three-hitter and striking out seven.
Sophomore Zach Conde was the hard-luck loser as he also allowed just three hits while striking out 11 batters.
Maud (11-9) got all the help it needed in the first frame.
The Cardinals' first two batters, Hunter Thomas and Payton Windham, reached on errors, putting runners on second and third.
After an out, Townsend beat an infield hit that scored Thomas. Later, Cason Lamb's bloop single to center drove in the last two runs for the 3-0 lead.
Not much happened over the next five innings as the pitchers continued to dominate.
In the bottom of the sixth, Hawkins' Paeton Smith drew a one-out walk. Conde then hit line drive to center where Dear made a diving catch. The next batter, David Mullins, drilled the ball to right-center, but Dear was able to run it down to end the inning.
Hawkins (17-7) threatened again in the seventh.
Bryce Burns led off with a single, and Rowdy Burns drove the ball to left-center where the freshman Dear made another diving catch. Townsend struck out the next batter, and retired the final batter on a fly ball to right field to end the game.
Maud=300=000=0-3=3=0
Hawkins=000=000=0-0=3=3
Cade Townsend and Payton Windham. Zach Conde and Paeton Smith. WP-Townsend. LP-Conde.