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ROUND ROCK — The Yellow Jackets' come-from-behind victory Thursday night will not soon be forgotten in the city of Cleburne.
Conner Martyniuk's two-run single in the eighth inning helped the Yellow Jackets overcome a monumentally slow start to defeat Austin Lake Travis 9-7 in their Class 4A state semifinal matchup at Dell Diamond.
Cleburne (30-10) will play Rockwall Heath at 7 tonight for the 4A state title.
The Cavaliers scored six runs on six hits in the first two innings and the Yellow Jackets didn't help their cause by committing three errors early.
Cleburne starter German Hernandez, who was 5-0 with a 0.96 ERA in the playoffs prior to Thursday's game, did not make it out of the second.
Brach Farmer (8-3) stepped in and saved the day in the second by pitching a full seven innings. The senior right-hander struck out four, walked three and allowed just one earned run on three hits.
"I think we have to look at Brach and the job he did because he comes in and we're six down and he gives us opportunity after opportunity to come back," Cleburne coach Ross Taylor said. "We finally cut into that lead and for him to man up when I know he was tired was great. He really went out and did what he wanted to."
Lake Travis (33-11) pitcher Phillip Orr, on the other hand, was dominant early with six strikeouts and a no-hitter through three innings. Then with two outs and a runner on Cleburne exploded for six runs after Orr allowed three hits, walked three and hit two more batters.
Rockwall Heath 6, Montgomery 3: Jake Thompson went the distance to push his record to 12-1 and Rockwall Heath advanced to the Class 4A title game by beating Montgomery on Thursday at Dell Diamond.
The TCU signee and second-round draft pick of the Detroit Tigers struck out seven, walked four and gave up two earned runs .
The Hawks (35-9) broke a 2-2 tie in the third inning on an RBI single by Grayson Lewis, followed by a two-run double by Russell Hughes. Heath added another run in the fifth on an RBI single by Jake Baxter.
Jarret Johnson, 817-390-7760
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