MARSHALL, Texas – Texas Tech recruit Chase Hampton held second-ranked Pleasant Grove to three hits, and struck out nine Thursday in 5.2 innings to lead Kilgore past the Hawks, 10-1.

Sixth-ranked Kilgore broke the 4A best-of-three quarterfinal series open with six runs in the sixth inning at East Texas Baptist University.

Pleasant Grove (25-5) led 1-0 in the first frame after catcher Keaton Russo smashed a home run over the centerfield fence. The Hawks managed only two more hits, singles by Russo and Parker Twisdale.

Meanwhile, the Bulldogs banged out 12 hits. Gus Witt had three of those hits, while Cade Pippen, Deuce Ervin, Khalon Clayton and Connor Martin contributed two hits each.