Photo gallery: China Spring outlasts Texarkana Liberty-Eylau in 4A UIL Baseball State Championship
AUSTIN, Texas — After an exhilarating victory against nationally-ranked Sinton in 12 innings on Wednesday night, the China Spring Cougars found themselves locked in another extra-innings shootout Thursday at Disch-Falk Field.
The Cougars jumped ahead of Texarkana Liberty-Eylau 2-0 behind a two-run triple by senior pitcher Trevor Black before the Leopards battled back to knot the game up at 2-2 during the seventh inning.
After several tense innings of extra-innings action, the Cougars loaded the bases and sealed the deal. China Spring drew a walk-off walk during the bottom of the 12th inning to beat Liberty-Eylau 3-2 in the Class 4A UIL Baseball State Championship game.
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The loss snaps a seven-game winning streak and ends a historic 2023 campaign for Texarkana Liberty-Eylau (33-7), which reached the UIL Baseball State Tournament for the first time since back-to-back trips to the state semifinals in 2006 and 2007.
The Leopards won their only baseball state championship in school history during the 2007 season.
China Spring (37-5-1), meanwhile, improves to 12-2 this postseason with the victory, as the Cougars captured their fourth UIL baseball state title in school history and their first state title since 2000.
Check out SBLive's exclusive photo gallery from the Class 4A UIL baseball state title game.
PHOTO GALLERY — CHINA SPRING 3, TEXARKANA LIBERTY-EYLAU 2 (12 INNINGS)
All photos by Andrew McCulloch