By Jason Della Rosa, Herald Democrat
ROUND ROCK — If you thought the Pirates would be any different with a title on the line, you and the rest of Class 2A would be very wrong.
Collinsville has spent the last three years with a core that has been true to itself the entire time, Hawaiian shirts and all. And with the time coming to an end for six senior starters, a trophy celebration felt like the only way it would finish.
Another strong performance on the mound, more than a little havoc on the bases and a double-digit hit total showed the Pirates were the best all-round team in the state and they defeated Hawley, 9-0, to win the Class 2A championship at Dell Diamond in Round Rock.
“We worked so hard to be here. This is a real team effort and we said from Day 1 that’s what it would take,” said CHS head coach Derrick Jenkins, who was making his sixth appearance at state and never been past the semifinals until now. “So proud of this group and what they accomplished.”
It is the program’s second title and first since claiming the 1999 Class 1A crown, which also came as the second of back-to-back final four appearances.
Logan Jenkins threw a four-hitter with six strikeouts and a walk, Cash Morgan was 3-for-3 with a double, two RBI, walked and scored twice, Colin Barnes and Jaxon Jenkins each singled, drove in a run and scored and Reed Patterson singled, walked and scored twice for Collinsville (40-3).
“It was just unreal. Ever since last season it’s been the goal,” Patterson said. “You throw your glove as high as you can and it’s time to celebrate.”
Morgan earned Most Valuable Player honors after returning from a broken hand right before the end of the regular season.
“I never would of believed it,” the junior outfielder said. “Life happens and you just try to work your way back. The last two or three weeks I’ve been seeing the ball well, swinging it well.”
Westyn Balch was 2-for-3, Creed Ernst and Keagan Ables singled and Auden Romo walked for Hawley (26-10), which had its best season in program history.
But the Bearcats’ Cinderella story with their first trip to state was unable to overcome the progression by the Pirates, who lost to eventual champ Valley Mills in the 2022 region semifinals and then a heart-breaking 4-3 walk-off semifinal loss to eventual champ Harleton last spring.
This time there would be no doubt as Collinsville outscored its pair of state opponents by a 19-0 margin while throwing its 21st and 22nd shutouts on the season.
Jenkins set down Hawley in order in the seventh, the last a comebacker he flipped to Parker Wells at first to clinch it.
“I think we’ve always believed we were the best team and that’s how you need to play,” he said. “This was all we’ve dreamed about.”
Collinsville capped the scoring with three runs in the sixth. Barnes reached on an infield single to short, stole second and went to third on a wild pitch. Patterson and Logan Jenkins walked to load the bases.
Jaxon Jenkins brought in a run with a slow roller to second for the first out and Morgan walked on a pitch that went to the backstop and allowed Patterson to score.
Morgan took off for second and courtesy runner Nick Cox scored after throw down to second.
The Pirates pushed their lead to 6-0 after five innings. Morgan doubled past third, Rylan Newman bunted for a hit and stole second. Peyton Davidson plated a run with a one-out groundout to third.
“Get it to the next guy,” Logan Jenkins said. “You may not be having a good day but everybody’s ready to contribute.”
In the third, Collinsville widened the gap with three runs. Patterson led off the inning with a single to center and Jaxon Jenkins laced a hit the other way to right center over the leaping try of second baseman Alec Southerland. Patterson went to third and Jenkins took second on the throw.
Morgan pulled a single to right for two runs with Jenkins just beating the relay throw to the plate on his head-first slide.
Newman reached on an error but the first out came at third when Morgan was caught on the front end of a double steal.
Garrett Trevino hit a low, hard smash to first off Balch’s glove that caromed into foul territory as Newman raced home with another run.
After a tough start with a walk and single in the first three batters he faced, Logan Jenkins worked around a one-out error in the second and retired the side in order in the third.
Balch opened the fourth with a hit to left and went to third after a pair of groundouts but was stranded there when Drew Siller flew out to right.
Jenkins set down 11 of the 12 Bearcats he faced before Ernst’s leadoff single to left in the sixth. Balch had a one-out hit to left before a strikeout and comebacker finished off that frame.
The Pirates went up 2-0 in the bottom of the first when Landon Carpenter broke up a double play attempt and courtesy runner Chad Davidson scored all the way from second.
Peyton Davidson singled pass shortstop with one out and Carpenter was hit by a pitch. Barnes hit a ball up the middle that shortstop Siller got to and then ran to the bag at an awkward angle for the out. He was unable to try for the double play as Carpenter slid into second and Chad Davidson beat the throw to the plate by a step.
Collinsville used its aggressiveness on the base paths for a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first.
Initially it hurt when Logan Jenkins was picked off first following a leadoff single to center. But Morgan had an infield single and an error on the play put him at second.
Morgan stole third and after Newman was hit by a pitch, Newman took off and got Ernst off the mound to follow him towards second. Once the ball left the starter’s hand and Newman headed back towards first in a run down, Morgan scampered home.
