Shelby County Today

Hudson and Lufkin Ballparks on Saturday, May 13, 2023 –

(Photo Album)

Shelbyville and Joaquin High Schools were each well represented this weekend with both schools having teams competing in state elimination games for girls softball and boys baseball.

The Shelbyville Dragons varsity baseball team was eliminated with a 5-3 run Game 2 loss in an area round matchup with the Douglass Indians. Douglass had won Game 1 by a 3-1 score earlier this week. The best two-of-three game win will move the Indians ahead to the Texas UIL State Baseball Region III Quarterfinal Round.

The Shelby County rival Joaquin Lady Rams and Shelbyville Lady Dragons met up Saturday to compete for the same spot in the 2023 Texas UIL Softball State Softball Region III Quarterfinals. The Lady Dragons had taken Game 1 earlier in the week by a 13-8 score. Game 2 saw Shelbyville up 6-2 by the fourth inning but Joaquin tied the game at 6-6 by the bottom of the sixth inning. The Lady Rams stayed alive with a Game 2 rally which saw them win 8-7 in the bottom of the seventh inning with two outs. Shelbyville gained the final bragging rights however as they won Game 3 by an 8-4 final score. Shelbyville will move on to face Hawkins the winner of District 19 in next week’s Texas UIL Region III Softball Semifinal Round. Hawkins won their Region III quarterfinal match with Frankston in two straight games.

The Joaquin Rams baseball team entered their area round game with a 2-1 run Game 1 win over the Centerville Tigers. On Saturday the Rams fell to the Tigers in Game 2 by a 7-3 run score. The Rams came back to take the series by earning a 11-5 run win in Game 3. They will next face the Douglass Indians in the Texas UIL Region III Baseball Quarterfinals.

May 8, 2023 - The Shelbyville Lady Dragons will play in the Regional Quarterfinals playoff game at Lufkin High School against Joaquin on Wednesday, May 10th, 2023 at 6pm. Game two is Saturday, May 13th, 2023 at 4pm and if needed, game three is at 6pm same day.

Gate fee is $5.00. District Passes/Coaching Passes/Senior Citizens Passes accepted.

Coach Ryan Mason

Nacogdoches Dragons Ballpark on Thursday, May 4, 2023 –

(Photo Album)

The Joaquin Rams varsity baseball team improved their season record to 22-7-1 and they took Game 1 of a Region III Bi-District Playoff by a 10-0 run score over the Chireno Owls. They will face Chireno on Friday at 7 p.m., again at Nacogdoches High School, for Game 2 of the best-of-three game series.

Ram Tanor Doggett singled to lead things off for Joaquin in the top of the first inning. Joaquin gained a second baserunner when Kaleb Brooks singled to leftfield with one out. The pair scored when Bennett Anglin drove a pitch deep which got behind the Owls centerfielder giving JHS a 2-0 run advantage.

An RBI single by Doggett in the second inning scored Malik Stotts to give JHS a 3-0 advantage. Joaquin rallied in the top of the third and went up 8-0. The final two runs raced in when Derik Holt and Brooks reached base to begin the fourth frame, and they both scored on a two RBI double by Anglin, giving JHS a 10-0 run lead.

Owl Sean Fitzgerald singled with two outs in the bottom of the fifth inning to avoid an Anglin no hitter. Joaquin was still able to gain the final out needed to end the game in the fifth inning by mercy rule, with a 10-0 run advantage. Anglin pitched all five innings striking out ten Owls and allowing a single hit and no walks. Keith Patton, Cam Nichols and Hayden Nichols combined pitching for the Owls and gave up nine hits, four walks and struck out three Rams batters.

Rusk Eagles Ballpark on Monday, May 1, 2023 –

(Photo Album)

The Timpson Lady Bears varsity softball team suffered their second bi-district loss to the Groveton Lady Eagles and were eliminated from the Texas UIL State Softball Playoffs. The Lady Bears lost to Groveton 5-1 runs on Friday and by a 10-4 score on Monday. The Lady Indians will advance, with the best-of-three game series win. They next face the West Sabine Lady Tigers in the Area round of the elimination tournament. Timpson came into the contest with a 17-7 mark and they were District 22 2A’s number four seed. Groveton came in at 24-9-1 overall and they were District 21 2A’s number one seeded team.

Game 2 saw Timpson and Groveton tied at 0-0 through the first two innings until Groveton rallied with two outs left in the second frame. Groveton used two hits and four Lady Bears errors to get ahead 3-0. Another rally in the third inning saw Megan Luce hit a 3-run homer over the left-centerfield fence and saw the Lady Indians take a 7-0 lead into the fourth inning.

McKenley Wynn started the top of the fourth inning off for Timpson by singling and moments later advancing to second on a passed ball. She later scored when teammate Haylee Eaves put the ball into play and was thrown out on a fielder’s choice. Timpson pulled to within 7-1.

In a rally in the bottom of the fourth inning Luce gained three more runs-batted-in by doubling to leftfield and scoring teammates Lexi Esterling, Landree Martin, and Kiki Smith to give GHS a 10-1 advantage.

Timpson kept fighting and got the final three scores. Ceale Kruse doubled and then scored on a throwing error by the Lady Indians in the top of the fifth inning. Wynn and Colbi Ford started off the sixth inning with base hits and later scored the final two runs when teammates Haylee Eaves and Cale Cornelius put the ball into play which cut the Groveton lead to 10-4 runs.