Broncos use big seventh inning plays to win state championship
The 11th-ranked Sam Houston Broncos beat No. 1 Live Oak 4-2 on Saturday at McMurry Park to win the LHSAA Non-select Division I state championshp in three games. (Rodrick Anderson / American Press0
SULPHUR – Throughout the playoffs, the No. 11 Sam Houston Broncos faced high-pressure situations. Saturday afternoon in the final game of the LHSAA Non-select Division I championship series, the Broncos made the big play after big play in the seventh inning to beat No. 1 Live Oak 4-2 to end a 24-year state championship drought.
Charlie Donaldson opened the top of the seventh inning with his second double of the game. Senior Connor Walker pushed a bunt towards third base, which led to Donaldson scoring the go-ahead run.
'It's just what we practice,' Walker said. 'We're a team that bunts the ball, we steal bases.
'We've had a verse that we've been passing around for three years now. There's no greater honor than the sacrifice of your life for your brother, and that is just what that is. That was a sacrifice bunt. We let them make the mistake.'
With two outs, sophomore Owen Galley, the series MVP, gave the Broncos more breathing room with an RBI single. Galley was the star of game two on Friday when he hit a walk-off RBI single and pitched a complete game in the Broncos' 3-1 loss in game one on Thursday.
'It is great for me, but I'm just glad I was able to produce for my team,' Owens said. 'I'm glad I have that family behind me. I'm glad I got all these people in the stands.'
The big plays didn't stop there.
In the bottom of the seventh, Live Oak's Brock Davis hit a fly ball to center field. Charlie Donaldson tracked it and it slipped out of his glove, but he quickly relayed the ball to second baseman Carson Christ, who threw Davis out at third base. Sophomore reliever Coleton Donaldson took the mound with the bases loaded and forced a ground ball for the final out.
Sam Houston (37-8) is the double-digit seed to win the largest classification since Catholic-Baton Rouge beat Zachary
3-2 for the Class 5A state championship in 2013 as the 21-seed.
'We were not supposed to win this,' Galley said. 'Everyone's doubting us.
'We were the underdog. We have that mentality. We just came out, did every right, most of everything right, and came out on top.'
It was the fourth time in 11 playoff games that the Broncos had to score in the seventh inning to win. They did it twice against defending state champion No. 6 West Monroe in the regional round, plus twice against Live Oak in the finals.
'We're not going to get down on ourselves,' Galley said.
Walker said it was a relief to finally win a state championship after the Broncos came so close many times. Sam Houston has lost in the semifinals or finals six times since 2017. It is the Broncos' first state championship since 2001.
'It feels amazing,' Walker said. 'It's just like all of us are rooting for each other. We wanted this so bad.'
Freshman Kannon Keiser earned the win in relief. He pitched two scoreless innings and struck out two batters before getting into a bit of trouble with three consecutive hit batters in the seventh inning.
Senior Cole Flanagan went 3 for 4 and scored a run, while Charlie Donaldson went 2 for 3.
Live Oak (33-8) took a 2-1 lead in the second inning on Isaac Ott's two-run double.
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