It was a pitcher's duel until the end.

 

Pleasant Grove rallied for four runs in the sixth inning and shut out Gilmer, 4-0, in a Class 4A bi-district playoff game at Hawk Field on Thursday.

 

"I thought we overcame mistakes well," Pleasant Grove head coach Riley Fincher said. "We had some mistakes running the bases, and I thought we overcame that really well. We handled the atmosphere well. The atmosphere was like a third or fourth round atmosphere.

 

Pleasant Grove starting pitcher Ryan Galvan tossed 5 2/3 innings, allowed no runs and one hit, struck out five, walked one, and hit two batters.

 

"Ryan is a competitor," Fincher said. "He filled up the strike zone. Ryan labored through a couple of batters, but he got through it. We made some great defensive plays behind him.

 

Gilmer starting pitcher Derrick McCellon took the loss, threw five innings, struck out five, walked one, hit two batters, gave up four runs, and allowed six hits.

 

"We tip our hat to McCellon," Fincher said. "He is a great athlete, a good pitcher and a competitor."

 

Keaton Russo smacked a lead off double to left center to start off the sixth for Pleasant Grove. Seth Hopkins was hit by a pitch, and Russo and Hopkins moved up on a wild pitch.

Marshall Cox walked to juice the bases. Hopkins and Russo each got off his respective bag, and the Buckeye catcher threw down to second. The throw home went high when Russo sped for the plate, and the score gave the Hawks a 1-0 lead.

Hopkins scored on a wild pitch, and Cox scored moments later on a wild pitch to make it 3-0. Tucker Anderson made it to first when a third strike was mishandled. Pinch runner Brayden Solida took over for Anderson.

Galvan laced in an RBI single to right to Solida to pad the lead, 4-0.

Galvan retired the side in the first inning. Hopkins smacked a double to center field with two outs but was left stranded.

Tucker Anderson was hit by a pitch in the second frame. Anderson moved up to second on Galvan's sacrifice bunt, and landed on third after Parker Twisdale's sacrifice bunt.

McCellon struck out the next Hawk batter to end the threat.

Jackson Cobb singled on a hot roller to the first baseman for Pleasant Grove. Cobb took second on a wild pitch and stole third with one out in the third. Cobb was left stranded after McCellon struck out the next two batters.

Bryce Burns singled down the third base line for the Buckeyes in the fourth with one out. McCellon was hit by a pitch to put two on.

Galvan got out of the jam when Hawks' shortstop Cobb fielded a ground ball, stepped on second, and threw down to first for the double play to end the threat.

Gilmer got a baserunner in the fifth when Hunter Wynne was hit by a pitch. PG catcher Russo caught him stealing, and Galvan struck out the next batter to get out of the frame.

Parker Twisdale laced in a double to right center to lead off the fifth for the Hawks. Alex Galvan came in to pinch run and was thrown out by Buckeye catcher Grant Couture when he tried to steal third.

Pleasant Grove (23-4) advances to the Class 4A area round and will face either Brownsboro or Farmersville.

Gilmer ends its year at 17-13-1.

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Derrick McCellon, Bryce Burns (6) and Grant Couture. Ryan Galvan, Nick Voyles (6), Marshall Oubre (7) and Keaton Russo. WP-Voyles. LP-McCellon.