Mustangs drop first game of series to McLeod, 12-4
By MITCH LUCAS sports@kilgorenewsherald.com

The last-minute change of location of the first game of the best-of-three playoff series between Overton and McLeod was likely irritating for Mustangs fans.

After the game, it's probably a little more irritating.

McLeod got two home runs on Friday night, one by Trent Baillio in the second inning, and the early 4-0 lead was more than Overton could overcome, falling 12-4 in Game 1 of the UIL Class 1A quarterfinals series. Game 2 was to be played Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m. at Beckville High School's field, following the deadline of this Sunday edition of the Kilgore News Herald.

For there to be a third game, which would have followed Game 2 immediately, Overton would have to win the second game.

It was the first defeat for the Mustangs since Feb. 29. They had won 15 straight games.

Grayson Porter put McLeod on the scoreboard with a 2 RBI single in the first inning, and Ballio's solo home run gave MHS the 4-0 advantage.

McLeod's pitching didn't do poorly, either. They held Overton to five hits in the game. Three of them - a home run, a double and a single - were by Telvin Darden, who had a batting average over .500 on the season coming into the playoff game.

Both Overton and McLeod had firstround byes. Overton beat Avery in two games last weekend to advance to this round. It's the second straight year for the Mustangs to be in the 1A playoffs, and just the fourth school year since the school resumed the baseball program in 2004.

See a wrapup of the series in Tuesday's News Herald.