NAVASOTA, Texas — For the first time since April 26, the Orangefield baseball team suffered a defeat on the diamond.
The Bobcats (28-3-1) opened their 4A Regional Semifinal series with a tough 5-4 loss to sixth-ranked China Spring in Navasota.
Orangefield faced a 1-0 deficit early on, before plating three runs in the third inning. Kyle Michael singled up the middle to score Caleb Fregia and Kameryn Henderson to get the Cats on the board. Moments later Tyler Shearin would come home on a fielders choice.
Unfortunately China Spring (29-8) would answer back immediately. The Cougars scored three runs in the bottom half of the inning and would never surrender the lead again.
Orangefield nearly pulled of some late inning heroics.. In their final at bat Kyle Michael delivered an RBI single with two outs to get the Bobcats within one run.
The Cougars would then call on Marcus Rosales to close things out. Three pitches later Kolbie Sowell would go down swinging to end the game.
Orangefield's loss means the Bobcats will need to win twice Thursday afternoon at Grand Oaks High School. If the orange and white can pull off the feat, they'll advance to the Regional Championship round for the first time since the 2010 season.
Game 2, (6) China Spring 7 (10) Orangefield 3
Orangefield was six outs away from forcing a deciding third game in the 4A Regional Semifinals, but China Spring would respond with five runs in their final two at bat to eliminate the Bobcats, 7-3.
The Cougars entered the sixth trailing 3-2. Following a leadoff double by by JC Hughes, an error would put runners at the corners with no outs.
After Hughes scored on a wild pitch, Trevor Black doubled to give China Spring a lead they would never surrender.
Orangefield season ends (28-4-1) after suffering back-to-back losses for the first time in 2022.