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Friday, May 30, 2025 at 10:54 AM

Chaps upset Indians

Chaps upset Indians
Chaps baserunner Braeden Flak heads for third during Aubrey’s overtime loss to Sanger on May 2. Aubrey went on to beat Sanger two games to one. Martin Edwards/The Post-Signal

The Aubrey Chaparrals baseball team won their bi-district playoff series against the Sanger Indians two games to one Saturday.

The two teams played a closely contested series, with each game down to the wire, but the Chaps found ways to pull out wins in Game 1, 5-2, and Game 3, 3-2.

“It was a really good series against two evenly matched teams,” Aubrey head baseball coach Nathan Henry said. “That’s why it went three games, but I’m real proud of our guys and the grit that they played with. … It just shows the fight that these guys have. They're never going to back down from a challenge.”

Aubrey found itself playing from behind in Game 1 after Sanger jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning after a passed ball allowed one runner to score and a triple to center drove in a second.

Aubrey was able to answer with a five-run burst in the top of the seventh inning, sparked by a ground ball single from third baseman Toby Davis that drove in one run.

Chaps’ centerfielder Luke Hellman drove in the gametying run, 2-2, with a pop fly.

Aubrey took the lead after an error by Sanger’s catcher allowed baserunner Braeden Flak to get home, followed by a ground ball single by Cameron Sanders that drove in two runs, giving the win 5-2.

Cole Govea set the tone from the mound for the Chaps in Game 1, striking out 10 batters and allowing two hits and two runs.

“Every one of us worked really hard going into Game 1,” Govea said. “We knew it was going to be high stakes. We don't have the team we had last year, but we're pretty good. We worked really hard in the bullpen and just learned how to attack [Sanger’s] hitters, and it turned out well for us. It's also easier when I have seven guys behind me to back me up and a catcher behind the plate to make plays.”

Game 2 was even more of a barn burner, with Sanger taking the lead 3-2 in the top of the sixth inning.

Aubrey tied the game in the bottom of the seventh inning after Sebastian Marin doubled on a line drive to left field, driving in one run and sending the game into extra innings.

The two teams traded outs until Sanger was able to put the game away with a two-run burst in the top of the 12th inning, taking the win and tying the series.

The final game of the series continued to be just as tight as the first two matchups, coming down to the final inning before being decided.

Aubrey struck paydirt first when Marin singled to right field, driving in the game’s first run.

Courtesy runner Ethan Mc-Meen came in for Marin and later scored Aubrey’s second run of the game after a wild pitch got away from Sanger’s catcher, putting Aubrey up 2-0 in the bottom of the first.

Sanger was able to tie the score at 2 in the top of the third, but Marin came up clutch again in the same inning, hitting a sacrifice fly to right field that gave Flak the space he needed to slide home and put the Chaps back on top, 3-2.

Aubrey was able to shut down Sanger’s offense for the remainder of the game, holding on to win and take the series.

Marin said helping his team win gave him the confidence to make big plays throughout the series.

“Playing as a team, that’s the only thing I think about every single time that I step on the field,” he said. “Focusing on that when I was at bat made everything work.”

Henry said the series provided vital playoff experience that he hopes will propel a young Chaps team deep into the postseason.

“I told him going into Saturday, ‘Now, it's win or go home,’” he said. “Going forward, especially with some of the new guys that we have on varsity, now they know what the playoffs are like. It's a different atmosphere. Games are a little bit higher stakes, but that should set us up for a good spot because they have the mental side down.”

The Chaps were scheduled to start a best-of-three series against the Kennedale Wildcats hosted at Coppell High School on Thursday, with Game 2 scheduled for Friday at 5 p.m. and Game 3, if necessary, at noon Saturday.


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