Lakeshore rides Stein to win over Eunice to reach first state title game

SULPHUR – For the last four years, the last three seasons, Lakeshore has been knocking on the door of reaching a baseball state championship game, reaching the semifinals in 2019 and in 2022.

The door is not only ajar but it has been kicked wide open.

Gavin Stein had two hits and drove in five runs and Dominick Letort went the distance in a solid pitching performance as the eighth-seeded Titans continued their outstanding postseason run with an 8-3 win over No. 4 seed Eunice in the state semifinals Thursday afternoon at McMurry Park.

A senior, Letort allowed just four hits and struck out 12.

The Titans jumped on top in the top of the first inning. With one out, Preston Scott walked, stole second and Gabe Dalton singled home a run to make it 1-0. Braeden Peterson walked and Logan Lomanaco singled to load the bases with two outs and Gavin Stein cleared the bases with a double to left field and it was 4-0.

Lakeshore immediately expanded its advantage with two runs in the second inning as Eli Lirette singled, stole second, advanced to third on a bunt single by Scott and scored on a successful safety squeeze bunt by Dalton to make it 5-0. An error scored another run and it was 6-0 before Stein ripped a two-run single to left and the Titans were in command 8-0.

Starting pitcher Hudson Manuel lasted just 1.2 innings, allowing seven runs (four earned) on five with Hudson Conner taking over. Conner did an outstanding job, allowing no runs on just two hits over the final 5.1 innings.

The Bobcats (30-7) got on the board in the bottom of the second on singled by John Bradley Bellard and Hudson Manuel before Conner plated Bellard with a safety squeeze bunt to make it 8-1.

Eunice struck for two runs in the bottom of the sixth on a single by Dru Phillips and a two-run homer to left by Hayden Darbonne.

Lakeshore (23-12) stole six bases in as many attempts, keeping pressure on the Bobcats throughout. The Titans advance to the final Saturday at 2 p.m.

FINAL
Lakeshore 440 000 0 — 8 7 1, 7 LOB
Eunice 010 0020 — 3 4 3, 3 LOB
WP—Dominick Letort
LP—Hudson Manuel
Time of Game: 2:16
SB—Eli Lirette-2, Braden Braud-2, Mikey Wisner, Hayden Darbonne, Gavin Stein
2B—Gavin Stein
HR—Hayden Darbonne