WHITEHOUSE, Texas - Grandview got a solid pitching performance, but it was the bottom of the lineup that made the big impact against Atlanta in Game 2 of the Region II-3A semifinal series.
Blaine Vaughan pitched a 5-hitter for the Zebras, and Zach Gilliland, the No. 9 batter in the Grandview lineup, earned five RBI during an 8-1 win over The Rabbs Thursday at Whitehouse's Wildcat Field.
Game 3 is set for 4 p.m. today at Mike Carter Field in Tyler. The winner advances to play either Elysian Fields or Gunter in next week's regional finals.
Gilliland changed the complexion of the game in his first two at-bats. After he gave the Zebras the lead with a two-run triple in the second inning, Gilliland smashed a three-run home run in the fourth to extend the lead to 6-1.
Jimmy Mathis followed the dinger with a single to right-center and advanced as the ball was misplayed in the outfield, prompting a pitching change for Atlanta. Donnie Dycus singled home Mathis before reliever Cooper McClure collected the next two outs to end the inning.
Vaughan needed just 74 pitches to go the distance for the Zebras (29-7-1). He struck out two, issued no walks and gave up one run, unearned.
Randall Mason absorbed the loss, lasting 3 1-3 innings and giving up seven runs - six earned - on eight hits. He struck out one and walked one. McClure worked 3 2-3 innings, fanned four, walked one, hit one, allowed three hits and a run.
The Rabbits (23-9) took a brief lead in the bottom of the first. McClure reached on an error to start the inning, and after an out and McClure stole second, Kelby Smith grounded a single to the right of the bag at second to drive in Cooper, who slid home easily as the throw home was up the line.
Ty Graf also singled, but Atlanta stranded two to end the inning.
After leading a runner on in the top of the first, the Zebras got on the scoreboard in the second.
Mason Lawson started the rally with a stand-up double to left with one down, and following a two-out walk, Gilliland belted a triple to left-center to give Grandview the lead. Gilliland scored on Mathis' single past third to make it 3-1.
Graf led off the Rabbs' fourth with a double to left and was balked to third, but he was stranded there on a grounder and pair of pop outs to first. In the fifth, McClure and Jackson Warren came up with two-out hits, but were stranded at first and second to end the frame.
The Zebras tacked on another run on the eighth after Jacob Vernon started the inning with a stand-up double to left. A deep fly out to center moved the runner to third, and Lawson's sac fly.