West Monroe eliminates Sam Houston from semifinals again – American Press

For the third straight season, West Monroe ended Sam Houston’s state championship quest prematurely.

After falling behind 1-0, the No. 2 Rebels scored seven unanswered points to beat the Broncos 7-1 in the non-selective Division I semifinals on Thursday.

West Monroe (30-8) advanced to the finals for the fourth straight year where they will get a rematch against Barbe at 5:30 p.m. Saturday.

The Rebels knocked off the Broncos 4-3 in the semifinals last season after scoring three runs in the seventh inning and swept a best-of-3 quarterfinal series in 2022, with both games decided by a single run.

The game was tied 1-1 until the bottom of the fourth inning when Rebels freshman Peyton Starr delivered a bases-clearing double to center field. Isaiah Shivers added a two-run single in the fifth.

Sam Houston (32-5) struck first when Carson Christ scored on a two-out single by Griffin Hebert in the top of the first inning. West Monroe tied the game on a passed ball in the bottom half of the inning.

The Broncos had a few more chances, but left a runner stranded at third base in each of the first three innings.

After striking out two batters in the first inning, West Monroe’s Andrew Ferguson pitched a complete game. He held the Broncos to four hits while striking out 10 batters and walking two.