With Centerville’s 2-0 sweep over Chester and Apple Springs’ 2-1 series win over Wells, two county teams will meet in the 2026 Baseball 1A Region 3 and 4 regional semifinals.
Centerville, currently ranked No. 4 in 1A, advanced past Chester with a win 5-0 win on Friday and a 9-1 win on Saturday.
Kolt Larsen pitched game one, throwing a 7-inning shutout with 12 strikeouts. Chester pitcher Jesse Bittick kept the Bulldog offense in check in Game 1 only allowing 3 hits, but Centerville capitalized on errors, scoring 5 runs.
Two of those three hits were made by Hardy Brown, who also drove in 2 runs. The third hit came from Larsen, who also added 3 steals.
Brown threw game 2, surrendering 1 run in 7 innings while tossing 11 strikeouts.
Centerville got the bats going in Game 2 tallying 14 hits and scoring 9 runs, and all 9 batters registered a hit with Chris Fry leading the way with 4 RBIs. Brown tallied 3 hits, while Drew Larson and Wyatt Clede added 2 apiece.
•For Apple Springs, the first game on Thursday against Wells was a 9-3 win, but in the second game the Eagles suffered an 11-1 loss.
Rance Howell and Cooper Campbell shared mound duty in the opener, combining for 11 strikeouts while giving up only 3 hits and 8 walks. Kayden Roden and Cooper Campbell each had 2 hits to lead the offense.
Stats weren’t immediately available for the second game.
In the rubber match, Roden and Campbell again teamed up on the mound, combining for 6 strikeouts while giving up 4 hits. Roden again led at the plate as well, going 2-for-4 with 2 RBIs. Angel Reyna also had 2 hits in the effort.
The two teams face each other in the Regional Semifinals, a winner-take-all game at 6 p.m. Saturday at Lufkin High School.
Fourth-ranked Groveton continued its romp through the postseason with a 2-0 series win over Alba-Golden, winning 8-0 on Wednesday and 8-3 on Thursday.
Abi Kayte Roberts worked the mound for the shutout, tossing 7 strikeouts while giving up only 1 hit.
On the offense, Madisen Howard, Maryssa Rivers and Abbey Thornton each had 2 hits on the day.
On Thursday, Roberts again got the win on the mound, throwing 9 strikeouts while giving up 3 hits and 3 walks.
Reaghan Benton had the hot bat, going 3-for-4 with 2 RBIs. Howard and Rivers had 2 hits apiece, and Abbey Thornton had an RBI triple.
The Lady Indians now face Union Grove at Rusk High School. Game 1 is set for 6 p.m. Thursday.
