Hudgens Leads Argyle to 4A State Title

AUSTIN, Texas- The Argyle Eagles were perfect coming into their June 7 meeting with the Sweeny Bulldogs. Under the wing of Bryson Hudgens (Angelo State), the Eagles stayed perfect.

Pitching seven scoreless innings while surrendering only two hits, Hudgens paved the trail towards Argyle’s 5-0 win in the Texas High School Baseball 4A State Championship Game. Despite only three strikeouts, the 6-4, 245-pound righty kept hard contact to a minimum, with his infielders staying busy.

Hudgens commanded his fastball to both sides of the plate, hovering around 82-85 mph for most of the evening. His slider was consistently around 70 mph, a pitch he used in any and all counts.

Argyle found runs tough to come by, as Sweeny’s Ty Ringo (New Mexico JC) commanded his 85-87 mph fastball with ease through five shutout innings, turning the final game of the 4A season into a pitcher’s duel. Junior Brenden Dixon (Texas), however, had other plans.

Leading off the top of the sixth inning, Dixon flashed impressive oppo power, lacing a fastball off the base of the right field wall. On his way into third base, Dixon saw the relay throw sail into the Argyle dugout, allowing him to score, giving the Eagles a late 1-0 lead in the top of the sixth inning. Chad Ricker and Dillon King encored Dixon’s triple with a pair of singles, putting Hudgens again in the spotlight.

As he did throughout his final high school game, Hudgens came up clutch, lining a two-run double down the right field line. Jackson Kiddy (Rice) relieved Ringo with one-out in the sixth, where he surrendered a bases-loaded walk and allowed a Cade Merka RBI-single through the 5-6 hole. The Eagles’ 5-0 lead would hold the remainder of the ballgame, and well into the dogpile.

STATS

Argyle

Hudgens: (W) 7.0 IP, 73 TP, 3 H, 0 ER, 3 K, 0 BB

Dixon: 1-4, 1 3B, R

Carter: 2-4, R

Hudgens: 2-3, 1 2B, 2 RBI

Merka: 2-3, RBI

King: 1-2, BB

Sweeny

Ringo: (L) 5.1 IP, 75 TP, 3 ER, 7 H, 4 K, 0 BB

Kidd: 1.2 IP, 29 TP, 2 ER, 2 H, 0 K, 2 BB

Filipp: 1-2

Martin: 1-3