Bobcats fall to Llano, begin postseason vs. Wall

With a playoff berth in its back pocket, Comfort played one last district game last Friday on the road in Llano.

The Bobcats were looking for the sweep after winning Tuesday’s game, but the Yellowjackets managed a split with the Bobcats after taking Friday’s game at home, 6-5.

With the split, Comfort and Llano finished tied for third in district at 5-5, but it doesn’t matter since both made the playoffs.

Comfort will go to the small school or 3A-DII bracket and Llano heads to the big school 3A-DI bracket.

Comfort ends the regular season at 10-12 overall and plays No. 3 state-ranked Wall in the opening round of the playoffs.

Game 1 is Wednesday in Brownwood, Game 2 is 30 minutes after the first game, and a third game, if needed, takes place Friday at Kerrville Tivy, 6 p.m.

In last Friday’s game, Comfort fell behind 6-2 and rallied late but the rally came up a run short.

The Bobcats scored first in the game with a run in the top of the first inning, but Llano answered with 3 runs in the bottom half of the frame for the 3-1 lead.

Comfort made it a onerun game in the second with another run and it was 3-2, but the Yellowjackets recorded another 3-run inning in the bottom of the fourth to pull ahead 6-2.

In the top of the fifth, Mason Matt singled, moved to second on a passed ball and then scored on a Gunner Carpenter single and the lead was cut in half at 6-3.

Three walks and two singles helped the Bobcats push in two more runs in the sixth and the lead was down to a run at 6-5 with only one out but CHS couldn’t score another run.

Comfort had one last chance in the top of the seventh and put a runner on with a walk with one out, but the Yellowjackets threw a runner out on the base paths and then recorded the last out with an infield pop up.

Both teams had five hits in the game and the Cats were led by Mason Matt who hit 2 singles, scored 2 runs and picked up 2 RBI.

Gunner Carpenter, Noah Bohnert and Owen Schulze all singled, while Bohnert, Augie Diaz de Villegas and Schulze all scored one run apiece.

Zach Jones went 4 innings on the hill and scattered 5 hits, gave up no earned runs and 3 walks and fanned 5.

Schulze finished out on the mound and pitched two perfect innings.