WAKE UP! ON ETBLITZ | Wrap-up of a busy Tuesday; Overton’s Holleman, Harper & Tatum’s Prince make THSBCA All-State!
EDITOR’S NOTE: Quietly, we’re already to the middle of the week of the second full week of June. We’re going to bat a few eyes and volleyballs will be rolled out in the carts for warm-ups, and football players will be running through large, inflatable animals. Or, things. You know what I mean. We’ll turn around twice and summer will be gone! So enjoy it! Now! Go by Cozy Coffee Station and get something cold, you guys! Or, you know, hot, if that’s your thing. They have everything, anyway, all year. They’re in Kilgore at 110 Midtown Plaza, and in Gilmer at 755 Highway 271 North. If you want to look before you go, check out Home | Cozy Coffee Station, and you might want to take a minute, or 45. Their menu is massive, but it’s worth the look.
The Rangers’ sneaky comeback
Now, don’t think for one second I’m predicting anything here. I want to say that from the get-go. Unless Texas like goes on a run, wins the American League West Division, takes the AL title and wins the World Series, and in that case, then yeah, I said they’d do it the whole time.
But Texas has won three straight games, and after a dismal couple of weeks, that’s something to hang their hats on. The Rangers clobbered Minnesota Tuesday night, 16-4, and are 32-35 right now. They’re only 4 ½ games behind the Houston Astros, who are in first place (36-30). We’re weeks away from the all-star break in July, guys. There’s plenty of time left in the season.
After a scoreless first three innings for both teams, Texas scored a combined 10 runs in the fourth, fifth and sixth, finishing up with 17 hits. It helped that the Twins made three errors.
Tyler Mahle pitched five innings and got the win (6-3 on the season), with just three strikeouts. On top of that, he gave up four runs on 10 hits (!), but he only walked one. And hey, the guy won the game. So, there’s that.
Left fielder Wyatt Langford homered again, and went 2-for-6 with an RBI. Shortstop Corey Seager went 2-for-3, walked twice and scored twice. Marcus Semien had a hit and scored twice. Adolis Garcia had two hits and 2 RBI. Kyle Higashioka had a great night, with two hits, one of them a double, and 5 RBI, and Evan Carter had three hits, one of them a homer, and 3 RBI.
Matt Wallner had a solo home run off Mahle for the Twins in the sixth.
The Rangers have two more games left in Minneapolis: tonight at 6:40, with Jack Leiter on the mound, and tomorrow at 12:10 p.m. On Friday, they host the Chicago White Sox, a 7:05 p.m. start, and that’s the first of a weekend series against the Sox. Saturday’s game is at 3:05 p.m. at Globe Life Park, and Sunday’s is at 1:35 p.m.
They’re off on Monday, and on Tuesday, they’re home against the Kansas City Royals, a 7:05 p.m. first pitch.
For Rangers’ home-game tickets, go here: Buy Rangers Tickets | Texas Rangers.
State football games easy to find again
In case you missed it, and you might’ve, there was a big news story yesterday regarding the status of the state high school championship football games in Texas.
The University Interscholastic League reached a deal with Victory+ to stream all 12 of the state title games THIS YEAR, and FOR FREE.
That will mean that all 12 games are in one place, and easy to find for all of us, who would love to watch them (I say that on my own behalf, of course, and probably for a lot of you, I’m sure). And it also means no streaming fee.
It’s almost too good to be true.
We can thank the people at Dave Campbell’s Texas Football, or Dave Campbell’s Texas Sports, who apparently helped to put the deal together. But I’ll be honest, as a fan, I don’t care WHO put the deal together – it IS together, and I’m thankful.
Here’s our story from yesterday: FINALLY | State football title games have a home again; will be free to fans on Victory+.
All-State honors
Going to have to pursue this more, but this broke yesterday, and I’ve seen at least three names from the ETBlitz coverage area that are included, so I want to congratulate them, for sure.
Overton’s Rylan Holleman and Braxton Harper, and Tatum’s Jaxen Prince have all been named to the Texas High School Baseball Coaches Association’s 2025 All-State Team!
Holleman was named first-team catcher on 2A; Harper second-team first base, also on 2A, of course; and Prince, second-team catcher on 3A, on the Texas High School Baseball Coaches Association graphic that was sent to us here at ETBlitz.com.
So we’ve announced it, and we’re so happy for these young men. And this reminder…
Whataburger / ETB Players, Athletes of the Year Sunday
The Whataburger / ETBlitz.com Players (or athletes) of the Year – a male and a female athlete of the year – from our coverage area will be announced this Sunday right here on ETBlitz.com, and then on our socials.
Just like our Whataburger / ETB Players of the Week each week, these are voted on by a panel, not unilaterally-picked, and will include nominees from across our area, the very best players, athletes from the 2024-25 school year, likely names that you’ve been reading all year.
Tatum High School boys basketball was announced as our Goudarzi & Young / ETBlitz.com Team of the Year last Sunday, and we look forward to making our individual awards this coming Sunday, and officially wrapping up the ’24-25 school year.