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American Press
18-05-2025
- Sport
- American Press
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.
American Press
17-05-2025
- Sport
- American Press
Galley's walk-off hit forces game three for Non-select Division I state championship
Sophomore Owen Galley's walk off RBI single Friday evening gave No. 11 Sam Houston a 4-3 win over No. 1 Live Oak in the second game of the LHSAA Non-select Division I championship series at McMurry Park in Sulphur. (Rodrick Anderson / American Press) SULPHUR – Sam Houston entered the second game of the LHSAA Non-select Division I state championship series Friday evening needing a win, and sophomore Owen Galley delivered to force today's deciding game three. No. 11 Sam Houston beat No. 1 Live Oak 4-3 to even the series. The Eagles won game one on Thursday, 3-1. Game three will start at 5:30 p.m. today. Galley was faced with a tense situation in the bottom of the seventh inning with the score tied 3-3. Sam Houston had two runners on base but was down to its last out, and Galley had a full count. He sent the ball flying to center field to bring home Brock Blessing to win the game. 'It means everything,' Galley said. 'We're the underdogs in this series. 'We're the 11th seed. They're (Live Oak) the one. We're not expected to win. Everyone's doubting us. We just have to keep grinding all the way through.' It wasn't the only time the Broncos needed some clutch two-out hitting. Freshman third baseman Grant Oustalet hit a hard grounder that bounded over and out of reach of third baseman Brock Davis with two outs in the sixth inning to plate Haden Peshoff and tie the score, 3-3. Galley, who went 3 for 4, had another critical hit in the opening frame when he smashed an RBI double off the left field wall to even the score at 2-2. 'Man, he's a player,' Sam Houston head coach Chad Hebert said. 'He's so mature for a sophomore. 'I mean, you look at the game, you can take the walk-off, but look at the three plays he made at first. Diving plays to kill it with the PFP behind it. Gets three knocks in the game, executes a slash. He's just locked in, man. The guy's a winner, and he's always going to be, and he's going to win in life just because of who he is as a person.' Sam Houston's Bennett Harlow relieved starter Cole Flanagan in the fifth inning and pitched three scoreless innings. It was his second win in a relief role in the postseason. Davis put the Eagles (33-7) on top 2-0 in the first inning with a two-run double. After earning a save in game one on Thursday, reliever Trevor Hodges took the loss Friday after allowing an unearned run on two hits with four strikeouts and a walk in 1.1 innings. Sam Houston 4 Live Oak 3 LO 210 000 0 – 3-7-1 SHHS 200 001 1 – 4-9-1 PITCHING: W – Bennett Harlow (3ip, 1h, 0r, 1k, 1bb). L – Trevor Hodges (1.1ip, 2h, 1r, 4k, 1bb). TOP HITTERS: Live Oak – Cameron Washington 2-3 (run), Brock Davis 1-3 (2 RBI), Jace Griffin 2-2. Sam Houston – Connor Walker 2-4, Owen Galley 3-4 (2 RBI, double), Grant Oustalet 2-3 (RBI). NOTE: Series tied 1-1. RECORDS: Live Oak – 33-7. Sam Houston – 36-8.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Yahoo
Armed carjacking suspect arrested in Sutter County
( — Sutter County Sheriff's Office received a 911 call regarding a suspected carjacking at gunpoint in Yuba City on Thursday late evening. SCSO stated the incident happened in the area of Pease Road at around 6 p.m. When deputies arrived at the scene, they were unable to locate the suspect or the vehicle. Sacramento Sheriff's deputies arrest a man for stealing $25K worth of items At around 7:15 p.m., the deputies found the suspect and the stolen vehicle in the area of the 2100 block of Allen Street in Live Oak, said SCSO. Deputies quickly surrounded the suspect and established a perimeter to secure the suspect. SCSO stated that the Sutter County Sheriff's Office Special Enforcement Detail team was deployed. After negotiations from the Hostage Negotiations Team, the suspect was taken into custody without incident. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
American Press
15-05-2025
- Sport
- American Press
Rebuilt Bronco, Flanagan unflappable since return, Broncos face Live Oak in championship series
Sam Houston senior Cole Flanagan has won three games on the mound in the playoffs this year. (Rodrick Anderson / American Press) Cole Flanagan had to watch from the dugout last season while recovering from Tommy John surgery. But now he is back on the front lines as the Broncos look to win the program's first state championship since 2001. 'It was tough, but you have to stay in there and support your guys and do the thing in the dugout and keep the energy up,' Flanagan said. 'It is nice to be back out there for myself, but having these guys to play with has been awesome. 'I have had great teams and great leadership for four years, so I am trying to go about how the people before me led and try to do that with this team. It has been going pretty well.' The No. 11 Broncos, who have won 14 of their last 15 games, open a best-of-three series against No. 1 Live Oak for the Non-select Division I state championship at the state baseball tournament in Sulphur at 5:30 p.m. today. Game 2 will be at the same time Friday. If a third game is necessary, it will be played on at 5:30 p.m. Saturday. 'We can't take it for granted,' Flanagan said. 'We have to live in the moment and enjoy every minute of it.' The Louisiana-Lafayette signee had a stellar sophomore year, going 6-2, including a win over Live Oak in the quarterfinals, and batted over .300. After limited pitch counts early in the season, Flanagan said he feels back to his old self. He is 7-2 with a 2.10 earned run average and batting .375 with 30 RBIs. He has improved his control, increasing his strike-to-ball ratio from 2.79 to 3.81- to-1. He has 61 strikeouts in 53 1/3 innings. He pitched a complete game two-hit shutout on Saturday to complete the Broncos' (35-7) sweep of Barbe (34-6) in the semifinals. 'I feel great,' Flanagan said. 'I feel like I was a little bit better maybe. 'The surgery went well, so that is a good thing. I had to go to five months of physical therapy, a lot of rangeof- motion stuff and get my elbow back in shape and get my shoulder back in shape to be able to throw.' With the new series format in all rounds of the playoffs for Divisions I, II and III, pitching has become exponentially more important. The Broncos have a deep pitching staff led by Flanagan and sophomore Owen Galley (8-1, 722/3 IP, 1.25 ERA). Six Broncos have won three or more games on the mound, and the staff has a 1.85 ERA. Flanagan and Galley have each won three postseason games. The Broncos' playoff run hasn't been easy. They had to win on the road at defending champion West Monroe and 12-time state champion Barbe. But Flanagan said the Broncos are well prepared to take on the Eagles. 'I feel like we have had a tough playoff run,' Flanagan said. 'The arms and teams that we have played have all led up to this point for preparation. We just have to come out here and do the same thing we do every day and play with everything we have. I expect another close one and get in there and go win a dogfight. Outcompeting them is our goal. 'Throwing the fastball and letting the guys behind me make the plays has been my mind-set out there. I have a good defense working behind me this year.' Knowing that the Eagles (32-6) have a strong pitching staff, Flanagan said the Broncos will have to scratch out every hit and run they can get. ULL signee Sawyer Pruitt shut out Benton in the semifinals with 11 strikeouts, and left-handed pitcher Zant Gurney has allowed one earned run in two postseason starts. Five of Sam Houston's eight postseason wins have been by one or two runs. 'Coach has been preaching to us that every time we get in the box to get in there and compete, no matter the outcome, and we will ultimately get what we want,' Flanagan said.
American Press
14-05-2025
- Sport
- American Press
Bonding over baseball: Cassard, Hebert final meeting
Nearly two decades ago, Sam Houston head coach Chad Hebert and Live Oak head coach Jesse Cassard's friendship began on Glenn Cecchini's staff at Barbe High School. In 2006 they helped the Bucs win the Class 5A state title. Each have become successful head coaches, and along the way they shared tips and insights, checking on each other's family and played some intense games over the years. Cassard announced his retirement two weeks ago, so this week will be the final time the two coach against each other. And the setting will be perfect. The No. 1 Eagles (32-6) and No. 11 Broncos (35-7) will face off in the first game of a three-game series at 5:30 p.m. Thursday for the Non-select Division I baseball championship at the state tournament in Sulphur. 'We're really good friends,' Cassard said. 'Just following Griff, his son, and I know he loves Cal, and he's always checking on Cal, my son. We've been friends since we coached together, and we've always stayed in contact. 'At this point, both of us are going to get our kids ready to play, and whoever plays best is going to win. It'll be a good, clean series. We both have really good teams, and we both have experience at this point in the playoffs, so it'll be fun.' Even after Hebert and the Broncos swept Live Oak in the quarterfinals for a second year in a row last season, they still talk strategy. 'Honestly, before the season, I had asked him, I said, 'Hey, what's some of the things you do for practice that we can change some things up?'' Cassard said. 'And he's sending me 15 videos at a time. Like, 'Hey, why don't you try this?' So we bounce things off of each other a lot.' Head-to-head, Hebert is 7-3 against Cassard. 'We're both super competitive,' Hebert said. 'He and I are close enough personal friends to where we realize it's just a game and we're going to compete hard against each other and words are going to fly and things are going to be done and said. 'At the end of the day, it's a baseball game. It's not going to dictate our friendship or our love that we have for each other.' Hebert said many of the things he learned from Cassard at Barbe and two seasons as his assistant at Zachary in 2010 and 2011 have stuck with him throughout his career. 'I don't feel like Jesse as a competitor was ever scared of anybody,' Hebert said. 'When we were at Zachary, he was always overly aggressive and trying to put pressure on people to get them to fold under the pressure and make them beat themselves at times, and we kind of stuck with that model. '(I) picked up a lot of good things in the run game from him, just things throughout the years, and he and I bounce things off each other yearly.' After a five-year stint at Barbe as an assistant, Cassard took over the Zachary program and led the Broncos to three consecutive Class 4A state championships from 2007 to 2009. He coached Sulphur to the quarterfinals in 2017, and since 2019, Cassard has led Live Oak to a 182-59 record and has them in the final for the first time since 2014, when the Eagles lost 7-1 to Barbe. It is the sixth and final time Cassard will take a team into the state tournament. He is retiring after 18 seasons as a head coach with a 476-120 record. 'My son, he's a senior, and he's going on to play college baseball,' said Cassard, who played two seasons at McNeese State. 'I want to go and watch him play and just be a dad and not have to feel bad about missing my games to go watch his games and stuff like that. I've loved coaching. It's been great.' Under Hebert, the Broncos have played at the state tournament seven times since 2017. They lost a round shy in the quarterfinals in 2022, and the COVID-19 pandemic canceled the tournament in 2020. Hebert is 270-53 in seven seasons. 'I think he's a player's coach,' Cassard said. 'He gives them some leeway to play their own way and play their own style. 'He kind of sets out a plan for them, and they really get behind him. I've never heard him throw a kid under the bus. He's always got his kids back. That's why they play like they do because they're on their coach's side. I think that's the biggest thing. He's always been a student of the game. He's always wanted to learn more. He gets his guys playing well at the right time, and they play a really consistent brand of baseball.'
