After six scoreless innings, Waco Midway managed to break a tense stalemate with a run in the seventh inning to pull out a 1-0 victory over the Cleburne Yellow Jackets on Tuesday night.
Cleburne’s Ty Taylor scattered two hits over the first six innings, but gave up two triples in the loss with the biggest coming off the bat of Midway’s Matt Ordonez in the top of the seventh inning.
After Midway’s Marc Martinez flied out to begin the frame, Ordonez belted a pitch all the way to the right field wall and safely slid into third base.
Kramer Robertson followed with a high chopper to second and Midway’s Anthony Betters, who ran for Ordonez, slid in safely to home plate to give the Panthers the lone run of the night.
In the bottom of the seventh inning, Cleburne’s Max Reynolds, Tanner Marshall and Conner Marshall were retired in order to end any hope of a Jacket comeback.
After two perfect innings to start the game, Taylor ran into some trouble in the top of the third inning after Midway’s Jeff Gerik doubled and Devin Fair followed with a walk.
Taylor responded by striking out Kyle Kennedy and forcing Midway pitcher Matthew Kent into a groundout at first.
Cleburne head coach Ross Taylor said the pitching was there for the Jackets, but the clutch hitting wasn’t.
“We just need someone to clutch up,” Taylor said. “Just once. [Ty] gave up a couple of long balls and it was a good performance, but it could’ve been better.
“Considering it had only been five days since he threw against [Abilene] Cooper, it was a good performance. That was a battle of two of the better left-handers in our district.”
Taylor finished the game with seven strikeouts.
Midway’s Kent finished with nine strikeouts and allowed just two Cleburne hits on the night.
Taylor had a single in the bottom of the first, and Tanner Marshall had a double in the bottom of the second.
After that, Cleburne didn’t get another hit.
The Jackets had their best scoring opportunity in the sixth inning after Connor Martyniuk was hit by a pitch to start the frame.
Trevor Garcia ran for Martyniuk, but was thrown out at second after a fielder’s choice by Cooper Walls.
Hector Juarez moved Walls to second on another fielder’s choice, but Taylor grounded out to the shortstop to end the inning.
“We still have some things we need to work on,” Taylor said.
Cleburne (5-6, 0-1 in 16-4A play) will be in action again on Thursday in the Cleburne tournament.
The Jackets will take on South Hills at 10 a.m. Thursday and will battle Mansfield Legacy later that evening at 7.
Cleburne will take on West Mesquite at 10 a.m. Friday and will play again at 7 p.m. against Mineral Wells.
