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Argyle runs into buzzsaw Sinton team, falls 9-0 in title game

AUSTIN — Playing in its fifth state title game since 2014, Argyle’s playoff push ran out of gas Thursday with a 9-0 loss to top-ranked Sinton in the Class 4A state final.

A seven-run third inning broke the game open for good as the Eagles fought to avoid being run-ruled but could not surmount the deficit. The Pirates (36-1) won their 31st consecutive game to lift their first state title since taking the 3A crown in 2002. It is their fourth-ever state championship after winning in 1988 and 1989 as well.

Sinton left fielder Kaden McCoy took home the UIL championship game MVP award after batting 1 for 3 from the nine-hole with a 2-RBI triple and a sacrifice fly.

“It’s really, really hard just to get here,” coach Ricky Griffin said. “Tonight’s game was about Sinton. They’re a really, really good team and we were a little bit overmatched.”

The Eagles (35-4-1) looked poised to start the scoring in the top of the first after they had runners on second and third with no outs. Consecutive batters struck out looking, though, and a third flew out to left field as the Eagles came away with nothing.

Of Argyle’s six hits on the game, four came from two players — shortstop JC Davis and second baseman Colton Roquemore. Davis went 2 for 3 with a pair of singles, a walk and a flyout while Roquemore also had a pair of singles along with a flyout.

“I’m proud of the guys,” Davis said. “We had a lot of young guys step up, had a senior group that led us here, got us here. We fought to the very end. They put up seven runs in the third, we didn’t quit at all. We kept going all the way and that just shows heart in this team for not giving up.

“I don’t think anyone expected us to be here.”

Sinton took advantage in the bottom half of the first as LSU commit Blake Mitchell reached on a fielder’s choice. Mitchell then took second on a thrown away pickoff attempt and reached third on a wild pitch before scoring on a rare infield sacrifice pop-out as third baseman Micah Roberts back pedaled to make a leaping catch in shallow left field along the line but could not throw home in time.

After getting runners on the corners with one out in the second, the Pirates struck for another run in similar fashion. A sacrifice fly to left by McCoy brought home center fielder Rene Galvan, who reached on a leadoff single.

Seven more runs came across in the bottom of the third as Sinton broke the game open for good. The Pirates batted around in the frame, scoring on a pair of RBI singles, an RBI double, a 2-RBI triple, a sacrifice fly and a walked in run.

“They only out-hit us eight to six, we just couldn’t get those hits with people on,” Griffin said. “Early on, they just got the one run in both of the first two innings and we felt we had to stay close because we’ll have some chances. Then they put up seven in that inning and at that point you just don’t want to get run-ruled and you want to see your kids continue to fight and continue to compete. That’s what they did.”

Deep playoff runs have become the norm at Argyle, which has won three state titles in the last eight seasons and played for two more. With the Eagles set to move up to Class 5A next season, Griffin feels good about what his team will have coming back.

“I feel really good about the team coming back,” Griffin said. “This experience they get here, you can’t get it anywhere else. We had a bunch of sophomores and juniors on the field that are going to want to come back here. I feel really good about their experience.”

Sinton pitcher Wyatt Wiatrek (23) emerges from a cooling mist in the dugout before the UIL...

1/26Sinton pitcher Wyatt Wiatrek (23) emerges from a cooling mist in the dugout before the UIL 4A baseball state championship game against Argyle on Thursday, June 9, 2022, in Austin.(Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer)

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