Stewart Johnson / Snapped Dragons
The Carroll Dragons baseball saw their postseason run come to an end in the UIL 6A Division II Area Round, falling in a best-of-three series to the Midland High Bulldogs at Rocker B. Ranch in Graford.
Carroll entered the matchup riding momentum from a strong opening-round performance, where the Dragons surged past Boswell to reach the Area Round. In that series, Carroll took two of three games and sealed the clincher in dominant fashion, highlighted by a combined no-hitter from Jackson Smith and Gavin Morris. Smith set the tone with five hitless innings, striking out six while working effectively through the Boswell lineup, before Morris finished the job with two spotless innings to secure the shutout. The Dragons also backed the pitching staff with a balanced offensive effort, collecting 10 hits as eight different players reached base in the decisive game.
That win extended a hot stretch for Carroll, which had taken 10 of its previous 11 games heading into the Midland series.
The momentum shifted in the second round, though. The Dragons battled through a competitive series but were ultimately eliminated in two games. Carroll showed flashes on both sides of the ball, but Midland’s timely hitting and steady pitching proved to be the difference in the winner-take-all finale.
The loss ends a resilient playoff run for Carroll, which once again demonstrated its ability to peak late in the season, even as the Dragons came up just short of a Regional Quarterfinal berth.