HISTORIC: Fulshear sweeps Hereford for program's first-ever UIL Volleyball State Championship
Nov 27, 2019, 8:26 pm
VYPE
Fulshear slowly but surely built up a lead throughout the third and final set.
Originally Appeared on VYPE
So much for being a "newbie."
The Fulshear Chargers' volleyball program, in just its third year of existence at the varsity level, exceeded all expectations (outside of their own) as they came to the UIL Class 4A state tournament and made their mark while, at the same time, making school history.
Coach Sydney Gotcher's Chargers swept a favored Hereford team in three sets (25-20, 25-18, 25-19 ) and grabbed the gold medal for a school that didn't exist five years ago (the school opened in 2016).
Fulshear finishes the season with an amazing 45-4 record while Hereford fell to 35-15 with the loss.
"I don't know if I really knew how good this team was this year," chuckled Gotcher, whose team didn't drop a single set in their six-match playoff run to the state championship. "There were times we'd take the floor and I'd wonder how the girls would handle a four-set or five-set match, yet they've been able to go out and dominate. I'm just as surprised as anyone about their ability to do so well."
The story continues here
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Yainer Díaz hit his first career grand slam in a six-run fifth inning and the Houston Astros had a season-high scoring total in a 14-3 rout of the Los Angeles Angels on Friday night.
YAINER DIAZ. GRAND SLAM. pic.twitter.com/ZtwN9BxESa
— Houston Astros (@astros) April 12, 2025
Díaz, who entered the game with just one RBI this year, had three hits and drove in a career-high five runs in the victory.
The Astros trailed by 1 with two outs and two on in the fifth when they tied it on an RBI single by Yordan Alvarez that rolled just out of reach of a diving Tim Anderson.
Christian Walker followed with an RBI single to put the Astros up 3-2. Jack Kochanowicz (1-1) walked Jeremy Peña to load the bases and was lifted for Garrett McDaniels.
Díaz sent his third pitch into the concourse in left center field for his first homer this season to make it 7-2. It was Houston’s first grand slam since Jose Abreu’s in a 12-3 win over Texas on Sept. 6, 2023.
Díaz added an RBI double as the Astros tacked on four more runs in the sixth inning.
Rookie Cam Smith doubled in the sixth and his first career home run made it 13-3 in the eighth.
THE AIRCRAFT CARRIER.
Cam Smith with his first Major League Home Run! pic.twitter.com/Hb91OjGUgk
— Houston Astros (@astros) April 12, 2025
Mike Trout hit a solo homer in the fourth inning for the Angels to give him six this year which is tied with last season for his most home runs through the first 13 games. It was the team’s 19th home run combined in the last six games, which is a franchise record for a six-game span — topping the 18 they hit in six games in the 2003 season
The Astros took a 1-0 lead in the second when Peña scored on a sacrifice fly by Jake Meyers.
Los Angeles tied it on Trout’s home run off the wall above the seats in left field to open the fourth inning.
Kyren Paris opened the fifth with a double and scored on a single by Jo Adell to put the Angels up 2-1 before Houston took the lead with its outburst in the bottom of the inning.
Houston starter Ronel Blanco (1-1) allowed four hits and two runs in five innings for the win.
Key moment
The grand slam by Díaz that broke the game open.
Key stat
Nine of Houston’s runs came with two outs.
Up next
Houston RHP Ryan Gusto (1-0, 1.13 ERA) opposes LHP Tyler Anderson (0-0, 4.50) when the series continues Saturday night.