Jesuit baseball clinched a spot in the playoffs with a 7-1 win over Plano East on Monday night. The Rangers are set to close the regular season on Friday at home against the Panthers before entering the postseason against either Sachse or Rowlett in the University Interscholastic League (UIL) Region 2-6A Tournament.
 
Junior Ryan Messick continued his stellar district run, moving to 7-0 on the season with a six-inning outing against the Panthers. Messick struck out a career-high nine batters, allowing only one run on six hits en route to his third district win of the season. Messick has struck out five or more batters in each of his last four appearances and has only allowed five earned runs across five district appearances.
 
Senior Caden Carlson drove in three runs while going 1-for-3 from the plate as junior Tyson Pointer added two hits, including a double, while driving in two runs. Junior Tanner Jones scored twice as senior Jaden Woodson went 2-for-4 with a run scored and run driven in.
 
Jesuit scored five runs over the first three innings, including two runs in the first on three hits. Senior Jack Lynch launched a one-out double to center field before a single through the left side by junior Jalon Mack put two runners in scoring position. Pointer drove both runners home with a double to center, giving Jesuit the lead.
 
Jones scored on a bases-loaded wild pitch in the second before Carlson hit a fly to center that dropped between two outfielders to plate Jones and Woodson for a 5-0 lead. Plano East scored in the third but a sacrifice fly by Carlson plated sophomore Gavin Perryman to return the lead to five runs.
 
A single through the left side by Woodson scored senior Witt Chambers in the seventh to complete Jesuit's scoring before Perryman closed the door on the Panthers, making quick work of Plano East in the bottom of the frame to clinch Jesuit's fifth straight district win.
 
Jesuit will close the regular season on Friday at Wright Field against the Panthers. First pitch is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. and will be proceeded by the team's annual senior night, scheduled to begin at 7:10 p.m.