Late rally by Lake Country falls short against Bay Area in TAPPS baseball championship

Fort Worth Lake Country Christian finally strung together some hits late in its game Friday against League City Bay Area Christian, but the Eagles fell just short of the ultimate goal, 5-3, in the TAPPS Division 3 state baseball championship game at Clay Gould Ballpark.

The Eagles made school history with the appearance in the state final.

The Broncos secured their second straight state championship.

Hits were hard to come by for the Eagles early on against Bay Area starting pitcher Adam Atwell. Lake Country starter Landon Fuller ended the first three innings with strikeouts.

Lake Country had a chance for a big inning in the bottom of the first when it loaded the bases, but a soft dribbler to first base ended the frame with no runs across.

After a scoreless second inning by Fuller and Atwell, the Broncos took the lead in the top of the third when they loaded the bases with no outs. Then Jordan Medellin ripped a two-run single to center.

The Eagles stranded a runner after three and Atwell was still holding onto a no-hitter.

He then picked off a runner a first to end the fourth.

Bay Area added an RBI double in the sixth to extend the lead to 3-0.

Atwell got the first out of the bottom of the sixth inning, but then two batters later, Fuller singled to left for Lake Country’s first hit of the game. Atwell was immediately pulled and replaced.

On the very next pitch against the Bay Area reliever, junior catcher Adam Lindsey drilled a hard liner that went past a diving center fielder for a stand-up two-run triple to cut the lead to 3-2.

Bay Area got out of the sixth still ahead.

Then the Broncos loaded the bases in the top of the seventh, looking for some insurance. With no outs, Lake Country managed to get the next two batters out with no runs scored.

A hard grounder went to Fuller at second and Fuller managed to throw the ball while on his behind to Lindsey at home for the force. Then a soft liner was caught at short for two outs.

Bay Area scored two on the next batter when a blooper went to shallow left.

The ball was caught and appeared to end the inning, keeping the score at 3-2, but the third base ump ruled that the ball had just hit the ground and bounced into the glove.

Lake Country got an RBI ground out in the bottom of the seventh before Bay Area ended it.