Potvin’s RBI single, Mask’s walk-off single in 7th clinches Bi-District Round

The Belton Tigers hosted Garland Lakeview Centennial Saturday afternoon at Tiger Field in hopes of capitalizing on a 10-1 game win on Friday night in Garland.

Trent Stafford and Marcus Pugh were locked in a pitcher’s duel and the Patriots nudged in front before an RBI single by Breck Potvin in the bottom of the fifth inning drove home Miguel Quinones and Collin Mask drove home Quinones with the bases-loaded with one out in the bottom of the seventh to give the Tigers the series sweep, 2-1.

Belton will play Dallas Jesuit next week in the area playoff round. The Rangers dispatched North Mesquite in a series sweep, 10-0 and 9-0. The two teams played in Prosper back in March during the Highland Park Scotland Yard Classic, with Heath Van Kirk and Tyler Kastner locking up in a pitcher’s duel, won by the Rangers 2-0.

Stafford got the first two outs in the first inning and Jim McCabe reached base on a walk. Stafford caught McCabe leaning off of first to retire the side.

Kastner and Potvin each reached base in the first inning on singles, but the Tigers could not push them across in the open frame.

The Tigers got into a jam in the top of the second, as a single and two walks loaded the bases. With one out, Corey Murray hit a shot back up the middle to Stafford. He wheeled a throw to Quinones covering second and the relay to first finished the double play. It was a pivotal play early on in the ballgame.

The Patriots threatened to score in the top of the fourth inning. Jake Farmer walked and Alex Bean singled. A wild pitch moved the pair to second and third. Stafford fanned Blake Strunk and Drew Lively before getting Maliek Phillip to ground back to the mound to escape another rally attempt.

Belton staged their own threat in the fourth inning with two outs. Stafford singled and reached second. Reece Hohhertz was intentionally walked by Pugh and retired the side on a groundout.

Lakeview Centennial scratched out a run in the top of the fifth inning. Kamron Fields walked, Justin Barker was hit by a pitch and McCabe singled in Fields to give the Patriots a 1-0 lead. The Patriots did not reach base for the remainder of the game.

With one out in the bottom of the fifth, Quinones singled and moved to second during an error on a Brandon Rudy fielder’s choice. With two outs, Potvin singled to score Quinones and tie the ballgame at 1-1.

Belton had a runner in scoring position with two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning, as Hobey Hiland singled and took second on an error by McCabe. A ground out stranded the Tigers’ third baseman on base.

In the bottom of the seventh, Quinones singled, Rudy walked and the pair moved up a base on Kastner’s sacrifice bunt. Potvin was intentionally walked to load the bases and set the stage for Mask’s heroics. On a 1-1 pitch, he hit grounder to Murray. He couldn’t come up with the ball and Quinones scored, setting the Tigers dugout scurrying out to celebrate.