Bulldogs are two rounds away from first state appearance in 14 years

From Staff Reports

MUMFORD – Thorndale (29-1-1) hasn’t reached the UIL state baseball tournament since 2010.

On Saturday at the Pete J. Bienski Jr. Athletic Complex in Mumford, the Bulldogs got one step closer to breaking the 14-year drought.

Thorndale defeated Iola 4-1 in Game 2 of a Class 2A-Region IV quarterfinal best-of-three series to sweep of the series and advance to next weekend’s regional semifinals. The Bulldogs defeated Iola 3-2 on Friday in the first game of the series.

Thorndale’s offense was as hot as the temperature on the field Saturday.

The Bulldogs drilled 10 hits, with two each coming from Rowdy Casner, Jaxson Eschberger and Jayden Clawson.

Eschberger, who picked up the win on the mound Friday, was 2 for 3 with a double and three runs batted in. Two of those RBIs plated Casner, who was 2 for 4.

Gunner Ferguson got win on the mound for the Bulldogs, tossing a complete game with no earned runs and six strikeouts.

In Game 2, Eschberger tossed six shut out innings and struk out nine Iola batters in a brilliant performance on the mound.

At the plate, Kaden Kovar went 2 for 2 with an RBI while Ferguson hit an RBI-triple and scored twice.

The Bulldogs will face Granado, who defeated Shiner 4-1 on Saturday in a decisive Game 3.