Dublin rallies to force Game 3 in AA title

Game 3 will begin at 2 p.m. at Lovett Field.

Mullis, who was held hitless in his first seven at-bats of the series, also was the winning pitcher. The right-hander held Lovett, which was averaging 8.4 runs per game and riding a 12-game winning streak, to five hits. Mullis also struck out 10 and hit three.

However, it was the 10th-ranked Lions (27-9), who appeared to be headed for a sweep thanks their pitching.

Having defeated the Irish in the opener, thanks to a five-hit pitching performance by junior Jonathan Carkhuff, Lovett jumped on Dublin early in the second game.

Lovett senior Kevin Reagan, who was a combined 4-for-8 in the twinbill, drilled a Mullis pitch over the fence in center field for a three-run homer.

It was the lone mistake Mullis made, as he would allow only two more hits in the final eight innings.

"The one who kept us in it was Zach [Mullis]," Dublin coach William Barham said. "He gave up the home run, and then after that, he just shut the door on them."

It appeared the three-run cushion would be enough for the Lions, who received a standout performance by senior pitcher Clayton McKenney.

McKenney, who suffered his only loss of the postseason, scattered six hits over eight innings and was in line for the win in what the seventh inning.

Leading 3-2 and two outs away from capturing Lovett's sixth state championship, McKenney walked Hill Lawrence.

Michael Coffey followed with a two-strike double to left field that allowed Lawrence to score. Coffey moved to third on a groundout but was stranded when Mullis lined out to third base to force extra innings.

Lovett had a chance to take the lead in the top of the ninth and had runners on the corners with one out, but Mullis retired the next two batters.

Mullis' ninth-inning homer handed the Lions and coach Lance Oubs their first defeat since April 22.

"We've got to play a ballgame tomorrow. I mean that is all that it comes down to," Oubs said. "That wasn't the win at all. It's a three-game series. Both teams split, and we've got to get mentally ready to play."

The Lions, who had outscored their opponents a combined 76-9 in the first eight games of the playoffs, had to use some two-out magic in the opener.

Ten of Lovett's 12 hits and three of four runs were scored with two outs.

With two outs in the third inning, Matt Williams doubled to left field. He scored on an RBI single to Drew Stockton, who went 2-for-5 with two runs and two RBI in the two games. Reagan followed with a single to center field, and Campbell Wilson capped the inning with an RBI single off Dublin starting pitcher Kale Watson for a 3-0 lead.

Carkhuff allowed his first earned run of the postseason, but it was all the Irish, who were held to five hits, would be able to push across the plate.

The Lovett junior right-hander struck out six, allowed one walk and hit a batter. He managed to pitch out of jams in the fourth and sixth innings to help the Lions, who never trailed until Mullis' game-winning home run.