Staff reports

BRENHAM — Bob Hope is making its last season in UIL soccer its finest.

Imanol Salazar made a stop in goal with 40 seconds left that preserved the Eagles’ 6-5 win over Mexia on Tuesday in the 4A boys area round. That puts the Port Arthur team in the Region III quarterfinals for the first time in school history against Huffman Hargrave, a 4-0 winner over Silsbee.

Time, date and location for the third-round match have yet to be determined. The winner will advance to A&M Consolidated High School in College Station for the regional tournament, April 13-14.

For Bob Hope (10-6-1, according to MaxPreps), the historic victory comes just before the school transitions to the Texas Christian Athletic League in August. The school announced the decision to move in January, with travel to district games and ability to compete in all sports cited among reasons.

Bob Hope, which opened in 2010, began playing UIL soccer just last season and has won its past two bi-district matches. Tuesday’s win is the third in the Eagles’ postseason history.

Juan Hernandez scored two goals to lead the Eagles. Cristian Figueroa, Gerardo Figueroa, Fernando Parra and Carlos De La Rosa also scored.

 

GIRLS SOCCER

PNG 1, Fort Bend Elkins 0

MONT BELVIEU — It’s back to the regional quarterfinals for Port Neches-Groves.

Mia Delgadillo scored the decisive goal in the first half, putting the Indians in the 5A Region III rounds for the fifth straight year with a 1-0 win over Fort Bend Elkins on Tuesday.

It’s the second win in a row by that score for the Indians (22-3-3). They beat New Caney  in the bi-district round on March 29.

A win over Porter will send PNG back to Turner Stadium in Humble for the regional tournament for a fourth year, but the Indians have never reached the regional final, which also serves as a state quarterfinal. The Region III quarterfinal match is set for 5:30 p.m. Friday at Galena Park High School in Houston.

Texas City 3, Nederland 1

CHANNELVIEW — Meg Sheppard put Nederland (20-4-1) on the board 18 minutes into the second half, but the Stingarees put away the Bulldogs after that and ended the District 22-5A co-champions’ first season under coach Aaron Tomplait.

Texas City will play either Kingwood Park or Santa Fe.

 

SOFTBALL
PNG 6, Nederland 0

NEDERLAND — PNG’s Britni Hunt achieved a great thing in softball’s version of Mid-County Madness — she struck out 11 Nederland players.

Hunt held the Bulldogs to one hit, and PNG (14-10-1, 9-1 in 22-5A) collected eight hits in a big district victory on the road.

Brooke Smith drove in four runs on two hits (one double), stole two bases and scored a run to power the Indians’ offense. She and Sydnee Adams each went 2 for 3, while Bayja Newby doubled and drove in a run, Kaitlyn Boudreaux (one hit) scored two runs and stole a base, and Hannah Denman and Rachel Hammersmith each had a hit.

Destini Trahan of Nederland (15-9-2, 6-3) struck out nine but walked six.

PNG hosts Port Arthur Memorial on Friday, when Nederland hosts Ozen.

 

PNG 8, Vidor 3 (Monday)

VIDOR — Hunt struck out seven before Cameron Niedenthal came on in the sixth to fan three Pirates, and PNG scored six runs in the sixth to gain some separation on the Pirates.

Callie Jourdan tripled as part of a 3-for-4 game. She drove in two runs, stole a base and batted in two runs as well.

Kasidee Sartin (two RBI) and Newby (two runs) each went 2 for 4 and stole a base. Maylin Louvier (RBI) and Boudreaux (double, two RBI, two runs) had the other hits for the Indians.

 

Nederland 15, Central 0, 4 inn. (Monday)

BEAUMONT — This one only took four innings.

Trahan drove in three runs and went 4 for 4 with two runs of her own in leading the Bulldogs’ offense. She one-hit the Jaguars and struck out 10 in the circle.

Hannah Goode, Allysa Collazo and Kallye Taylor each batted in two runs. Collazo was 3 for 3 with two runs, and Brittany Taylor, Kristan Traxler and Goode each had two hits.

 

BASEBALL

PNG 14, Memorial 0, 5 inn.

In Port Arthur, Josh Hranicky rang up seven Titans in three innings, and Carson Roccaforte finished the run-rule win posting two strikeouts.

Both were equally impressive at the plate. Hranicky went 2 for 2 and drove in four runs. Roccaforte was 2 for 4 with an RBI and scored two runs.

PNG (11-9-3, 5-2 in 22-5A) outhit Memorial 13-3 and took advantage of four errors by the Titans. Brandon Petix and Alec LeBouef each had two hits, while Austin Bost, Holden Lane (two RBI), Blake Bost, Khristian Curtis (two RBI) and Cameron Abate lined a hit each.

The return game is at 7 p.m. Friday at PNG.