'Point Panthers Pounce
Ridge Point takes care of business to win Region III-6A title
Dennis SIlva II
Nov 15, 2018, 5:00 am
The Panthers (45-5) are headed to state in their eighth year as a varsity program. Vype
Originally appeared on Vype
SUGAR LAND — For Ridge Point, the Region III-6A volleyball championship was won in the semifinal.
The Panthers swept Pearland Dawson 3-0 (25-20, 25-21, 25-18) in Saturday’s regional final at Wheeler Field House to win an intensely competitive region and book a trip to the state tournament next weekend in Garland. But they will tell you the real obstacle came during Friday’s 3-1 semifinal win over George Ranch.
Against the team that had upended it during a heartbreaking five-set loss in the regional semis two years ago, Ridge Point took care of business with an emotional, tough win over the Longhorns, almost making Saturday’s win an afterthought.
“It was such a good feeling,” senior Skylar Fields said of overcoming George Ranch. “We were all hungry for revenge. We play with those girls during club season, and for us to all come together, push and win that match was so big. That just got us really focused tonight and we played our game. Two really good teams, but we just played better.”
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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.