H-Town Reppin'
College World Series loaded with Houston-area baseball stars
Matt Malatesta
Jun 23, 2018, 6:52 pm
Elijah MacName is reppin' Cy Ranch at Mississippi State Vype
The NCAA College World Series is where legends are made.
This year is no different with so many opportunities to make a life-long memories in Omaha, Nebraska, where players can become legends for their respective schools.
Several Houston-area alums are on the biggest stage in college baseball with their eye on the prize of a national championship.
Cypress Ranch is home to a pair of college stars in Elijah MacNamee of Mississippi State and Masen Hibbeler of the University of Texas. MacNamee has already had a "Field of Dreams" moment in the Super Regional against Florida State. The outfielder hit a game-winning bomb to extend the series with the No. 1 Seminoles, which eventually led to a World Series appearance. Hibbeler is the starting infielder for the Longhorns and has been a cornerstone in their lineup.
Texas is also a landing spot for Strake Jesuit’s Zach Zubia and Memorial’s Cody Clemens. Both are big hitters in the Longhorn lineup and both have unique paths. Clemens is the son of MLB legend Roger Clemens, while Zubia was a dual-sport star for the Crusaders and originally signed with Tulane. He led Jesuit to their best showing in Class 6A playoff history.
Hailing from Arkansas is shortstop Jax Biggers, formerly of Ridge Point, while Texas Tech has a pair of arms in Dylan Dusek of Kempner and Ryan Shetter of Friendswood. The Red Raiders are the anchors of the pitching staff. Zach Rheams of Brazoswood has been a mainstay in Texas Tech’s lineup all season.
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Oswald Peraza hit a two-run single in the ninth inning to help the Los Angeles Angels snap a three-game losing skid by beating the Houston Astros 4-1 on Saturday night.
Peraza entered the game as a defensive replacement in the seventh inning and hit a bases-loaded fly ball to deep right field that eluded the outstretched glove of Cam Smith. It was the fourth straight hit off Astros closer Bryan Abreu (3-4), who had not allowed a run in his previous 12 appearances.
The Angels third run of the ninth inning scored when Mike Trout walked with the bases loaded.
Kyle Hendricks allowed one run while scattering seven hits over six innings. He held the Astros to 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position, the one hit coming on Jesús Sánchez’s third-inning infield single that scored Jeremy Peña.
Reid Detmers worked around a leadoff walk to keep the Astros scoreless in the seventh, and José Fermin (3-2) retired the side in order in the eighth before Kenley Jansen worked a scoreless ninth to earn his 24th save.
Houston’s Spencer Arrighetti struck out a season-high eight batters over 6 1/3 innings. The only hit he allowed was Zach Neto’s third-inning solo home run.
Yordan Alvarez had two hits for the Astros, who remained three games ahead of Seattle for first place in the AL West.
Key moment
Peraza’s two-run single to deep right field that broke a 1-1 tie in the ninth.
Key Stat
Opponents were 5 for 44 against Abreu in August before he allowed four straight hits in the ninth.
Up next
Astros RHP Hunter Brown (10-6, 2.37 ERA) faces RHP José Soriano (9-9, 3.85) when the series continues Sunday.