THRALL — The Thrall varsity baseball team earned a 2-0 win over Rockdale on Thursday, April 17, thanks to a clutch hit from sophomore Weston Smiley and a dominant performance on the mound by senior Maverick McAllister.
With the game scoreless in the bottom of the sixth inning, Smiley delivered a two-run single to give the Tigers the lead for good.
McAllister, Thrall’s ace, was sharp all night. He worked out of trouble in the second inning after Rockdale put runners on first and second with one out. A groundout and flyout ended the threat.
Thrall also had a scoring opportunity in the bottom half of the second, putting two runners on after a hit-by-pitch and a walk, but couldn’t bring anyone home.
McAllister struck out the side in the fourth and kept Rockdale off the board through six innings. In the bottom of the sixth, Thrall loaded the bases on a single from senior Hayden Heselmeyer, an error, and a base hit by sophomore Gus Navejas. Smiley followed with the go-ahead hit to put Thrall up 2-0.
McAllister finished the game with back-to-back strikeouts, earning the complete-game shutout. He allowed just two hits and struck out 12.
Thrall improved to 19-4-1 overall and 7-3 in district play, sitting in second place behind Franklin. The Tigers will host Little River Academy on Tuesday, April 22, before traveling for the second game of the series on Friday, April 25.
