Frevert hero for Hallsville

Some things are just sweeter the second time around.

That is how the Hallsville baseball team felt Thursday. The Indians held on to win their second-straight MSHSAA Class 2 state championship in dramatic fashion, beating the Mansfield Lions 8-7 at Taylor Stadium.

In a thrilling final, the teams traded the lead five times before Hallsville senior Matt Frevert came in to pitch in the sixth inning to a standing ovation from the Indians’ fans.

“When Matt steps in, we have a lot more confidence,” senior catcher Nathan Turner said. “He can really blow the ball by people.”

Frevert, who also hit a three-run home run in the second inning, had six strikeouts in the save.

Frevert said he thought his second state title for Hallsville (24-5) was better than the first.

“Winning it the first time, that was great,” Frevert said. “But being a senior, it makes this time extra special. I couldn’t plan a better way to end my career here.”

Mansfield coach Doug Jones blamed the loss on early defensive mistakes by the Lions (21-5).

“We had an opportunity at 3-1 to get some things done, and we gave up four unearned runs,” Jones said. “We knew that we couldn’t do that kind of thing, because Mr. Frevert was hanging back there late in the game, and we knew we had to keep the lead.”

Hallsville’s Grant Phillippe started the scoring with an RBI double in the first. The Lions responded with three runs.

The lead changed again when Hallsville scored five runs in the second, highlighted by Frevert’s home run. Mansfield fought back with three runs in the bottom of the third, then added a run in the fourth for a 7-5 lead.

Outstanding catches by the Lions’ outfield kept Hallsville from scoring again until the sixth. One of those plays included a collision between centerfielder Taylor Thompson and leftfielder Dakota Branham. Thompson made the grab, but Branham injured his hand, which became crucial later in the game.

Hallsville regained the lead for good in the sixth. Senior Wes Mahoney’s RBI double tied the game at 7. Mahoney advanced to third on a throwing error, and scored on Chris Barnhart’s grounder.

In the bottom of the seventh, Branham’s injury forced Jones to pinch-hit freshman Kyle Cunningham with two outs and the tying run on second. Frevert struck out Cunningham to record his sixth strikeout and win the game.

Plato beat Archie 1-0 for the Class 1 state title.