The Houston baseball team is headed back to the district championship game for the first time in nearly a decade.
Junior Connor Wilson threw a complete-game three-hitter and sophomore Alex Castleman hit a two-run homer as the Tigers topped Cabool 5-1 Tuesday in the semifinals of Class 3 District 10.
HHS (15-9) will play Mountain Grove in the title game at 2 p.m. Wednesday. The fourth-seeded Panthers knocked off No. 1 Licking 8-7 in the other semifinal to advance to their fifth straight district championship.
The Tigers last reached to the title game in 2010 and won their last district championship in 2007. They also won titles in 1992, 1980, 1975, 1960 and 1959.
“I want them to enjoy it,” Houston coach Brent Hall said. “Not many very many kids get an opportunity to play for something this big.”
Wilson made quick work of the Bulldogs for the second time this season. He no-hit Cabool in his other appearance April 2.
The lanky right-hander threw 56 of his 82 pitches for strikes over seven strong innings. He allowed just three hits – all in the fourth inning – while striking out eight and walking one.
“That’s just what we needed,” Hall said. “Now we have three pitchers we can roll out there tomorrow if need be. We are in a good position.”
Wilson and Jacob Koch had two hits apiece for the HHS offense. The top four batters in the Houston lineup – Cody Allen, Wilson, Castleman and Sterling Jackson – all drove in runs.
Houston never trailed as the Tigers scored once in the first and two more times in the second. Castleman delivered the biggest blow when he homered over the left-field fence in the bottom of the fifth.
“That took the pressure off,” Hall said. “They were within striking distance, and that allowed us to breathe.”
IMAGES FROM GAME
BOX SCORE
| Cabool | 000 | 100 | 0 | – | 1 | 3 | 5 |
| Houston | 120 | 020 | x | – | 5 | 7 | 0 |
HOUSTON (ab-r-h-bi) – Cody Allen c 3-0-1-1. Connor Wilson p 4-1-2-1. Alex Castleman 2b 4-1-1-2. Sterling Jackson 1b 3-0-1-1. Jacob Koch ss 2-0-2-0. Hunter Stilley cf 3-0-0-0. Braedin Groff 3b 3-1-0-0. Devin Wallander dh 2-0-0-0. Trevor Mitchell 3b 2-1-0-0. Robbie Mortenson cr 0-1-0-0. Totals 26-5-7-5.
2B: Allen, Wilson. HR: Castleman. SAC: Mitchell. SB: Koch 2, Mitchell.
| HOUSTON | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO |
| Wilson, W (4-4) | 7 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 8 |