With their season on the line, Jesuit Dallas rallied from a two-run deficit in the sixth inning then scored four in the 11th en route to a 6-4 win over Sachse in game two of the University Interscholastic League (UIL) Region 2-6A Bi-District round on Friday evening in Allen, Texas. Jesuit dropped game one to the Mustangs, 3-1 and will play in a winner-take-all game three at 3 p.m. on Saturday in Allen.
 
Senior Jack Lynch was an all-around contributor for the Blue and Gold, but his most sizable contribution was a two-run single to right center in the top of the 11th inning which scored senior Jaden Woodson and junior Braxton Boyle to break a 2-2 tie. Senior Garrett Reuben would tack on an RBI with a sacrifice bunt back to the pitcher, but a wayward throw by the Mustangs allowed two to score as junior Jalon Mack and senior pinch runner Witt Chambers crossed the plate to give the Rangers a definitive, 6-2 lead and providing a four-run cushion to their dominant relief pitcher.
 
Senior Ben Shepherd dazzled on the mound after entering in relief of Lynch in the seventh inning. The senior threw 4.2 innings of no-hit work, striking out two and walking none while forcing seven fly outs and four groundouts to earn his third win of the season. Lynch allowed two in the first but quickly settled in, striking out six over 6.1 innings pitched and holding Sachse without a go-ahead run in the sixth after the game-tying hit.
 
In the sixth, sophomore Connor Chavez singled to left center to record Jesuit's first hit of the contest before a single to center by Boyle put two runners on with no outs. Woodson sacrificed to move both runners into scoring position before Mack launched a single into left that scored both and tied the game at 2-2.
 
Jesuit's defense took over from that point as Sachse loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the sixth. However, Lynch forced a shallow ground ball, which he flipped to senior catcher Marco Marrero for one out before Marrero fired a strike to first baseman Caden Carlson to end the inning with a 1-2-3 double play.
 
The Mustangs threatened again in the seventh, but the Rangers answered the bell once again. A leadoff single put the winning run aboard, but Lynch secured a key out by forcing a lineout to left field before leaving the game due to the UIL pitch limit. Shepherd entered in relief and forced a fielder's choice for the second out before Marrero fired a strike to Mack, catching the Mustangs attempting to steal second to end the inning and send the game to extras.
 
Shepherd only allowed one runner on base during his time on the mound, a hit batsman in the eighth inning. From that point forward, the senior retired 11 batters in order to secure the win.
 
Game one saw junior Ryan Messick turn in a strong performance, but the Rangers were held in check by Chase Alford, Sachse's top pitcher and the No. 3 pitcher in the Metroplex (2-1, 0.28 ERA). Messick struck out six over six innings but allowed three runs on four hits while waking four. Jesuit was held to four hits in the contest as Chavez hit his first varsity home run in the sixth inning for Jesuit's only run.
 
Sachse scored two runs in the top of the fifth inning before the Rangers put runners on the corners in the bottom of the inning with no outs. However, the Mustangs were able to work their way out of the jam to stay in the lead and withstood Jesuit's late push sparked by Chavez's home run to secure the win. Junior Matthew Cox threw one inning of scoreless relief, retiring the Sachse seventh in order.
 
On Saturday, the two teams will meet in a decisive game three. The winner of the series will play either Rockwall or Copperas Cove, a series which will be decided on Saturday in a doubleheader as Rockwall captured game one, 8-7, on Thursday before a Friday rainout set the stage for Saturday's twin bill. Jesuit hopes to join the remainder of UIL District 9-6A in the area round as Prosper, Allen and McKinney Boyd advanced to the second round of the playoffs with sweeps of their bi-district round opponents.