Sunday – April 23, 2006

Homeschool Southwest Regional

Integrity Park, Argyle, TX

A grand slam home run by junior Abe Williams in the fifth inning sparked the Ft Worth Thesa Riders to an 8-5 win over the West Houston Thunder and a birth in the Homeschool World Series next month in Pensacola, Florida. 

Trailing 5-0, the Riders used walks to sophomores Eric Liggett and Stephen Oyler and a bunt single by sophomore Caleb Durant to load the bases for Williams.  Williams then parked his 10^th home run of the season just inside the left field foul pole to put the Riders on the board.  After the Williams blast, junior Herschel Heplir walked.  Consecutive singles by junior David Dulcie, junior Josh Dickens and sophomore Ben Engstrom produced one run and, with the bases loaded, Liggett singled to right field to give Thesa the lead.   Williams picked up the win on the mound by scattering 11 hits and striking out six in the complete game victory.

Earlier in the day the Riders rode the two-hit pitching of sophomore David Dickens along with home runs by Williams and Heplir to defeat the San Antonio Patriots 10-0 setting up the deciding game with West Houston.  Dickens cruised through five innings of no-hit baseball before loading the bases in the 6^th  on two singles and a walk.  Senior Josiah Thompson was then summoned to work out of the bases-loaded jam and secure the shutout.

For the Riders, Williams, Heplir, and Josh Dickens were named All-Tournament.  

The three-day Southwest Homeschool Regional began on Friday with six teams vying for a birth in the World Series.  With the wins today the Riders improved their season record to 21-16 as they prepare for their fourth consecutive trip to the Homeschool World Series.

SOUTHWEST REGIONAL TOURNAMENT INFO

FRIDAY @ RICHLAND H.S.:

MEMPHIS EAGLES-14   SAN ANTONIO PATRIOTS-2

W. HOUSTON THUNDER-8   THESA-5

SATURDAY @ INTEGRITY PARK:

ATLANTA BARONS-12  MEMPHIS EAGLES-0

W. HOUSTON THUNDER-12  SPRING MUSTANGS-3

THESA RIDERS-12   MEMPHIS EAGLES-2  (MEMPHIS ELIMINATED)

SAN ANTONIO PATRIOTS-6   SPRING MUSTANGS-3  (SPRING ELIMINATED)

ATLANTA BARONS-10   WEST HOUSTON THUNDER-1   (ATLANTA QUALIFIES FOR SERIES)

SUNDAY @ INTEGRITY PARK:

THESA RIDERS - 10   SAN ANTONIO PATRIOTS - 0 (PATRIOTS ELIMINATED)

THESA RIDERS - 8   WEST HOUSTON THUNDER - 5  (THESA QUALIFIES FOR SERIES)