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Arnold keeps Flower Mound season alive in bottom of 9th

Hey Arnold! Walk-off single forces game 3

By Dallas Morning News, 05/22/15, 9:30PM CDT

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Arnold keeps Flower Mound season alive in bottom of 9th

By CORBETT SMITH 
Follow @corbettsmithDMN 
corbettsmith@dallasnews.com
Staff Writer
Dallas Morning News

Published: 22 May 2015 07:00 PM
Updated: 22 May 2015 08:11 PM

Flower Mound coach Danny Wallace was on the cusp of having to make a difficult decision – pulling starting pitcher Parker Scott after a masterful 115-pitch, nine-inning performance.

Thankfully for Wallace, senior Deron Arnold was waiting for his moment to shine.

Coming in as a pinch hitter with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, Arnold’s walk-off RBI single gave the defending state champs a needed 2-1 win over Keller in Game 2 in the Class 6A Region I quarterfinal series, forcing the deciding game on Saturday.

“I’ve always been waiting for this opportunity,” Arnold said. “And when it came to be my time, I attacked it.”

That Arnold – a Stephen F. Austin signee – wasn’t in the starting lineup is an indication of the depth of Flower Mound (29-4). The senior was a part-time starter until an injury forced him out mid-season.

“He had to wait on his turn to get back in there,” Wallace said. “Waited, and then obviously came up huge.”

Arnold’s hit ended any internal debate between Wallace and Scott about his returning for another inning. The junior, pledged to Kentucky, allowed one hit and two walks while striking out 12. The lone run for Keller (22-4-1) came on a double steal in the fifth.

“He had total control of them,” Wallace said.

The effort was needed, given the outstanding efforts from Keller starter Gabe Martinez and reliever Bryan Berner – who had combined to hold Flower Mound to five hits until the final inning.

Game 3 is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. Saturday at McKinney Boyd. Flower Mound ace and TCU signee Sean Wymer will be starter, getting a chance to atone for a loss in Game 1, where he allowed all six batters he faced to reach base on Thursday.