Former Legacy standout Walker Freeman leads Sherman past TimberHogs

Published 10:17 am Friday, July 25, 2025

SHERMAN – Erick Ballenilla homered twice, and Walker Freeman highlighted a seven-run sixth inning with a grand slam as the Sherman Shadowcats pulled away for a 14-6 win over the Piney Woods TimberHogs on Thursday in Mid-America League action.

Freeman is a former standout at Tyler Legacy High School. Freeman plays at McLennan College, where he helped the Highlanders reach the NJCAA Division I Baseball Semifinals this past season.

Piney Woods scored four times in the top of the sixth to tie things at 4-4, but the Shadowcats answered with seven in the bottom of the inning before putting things away with three in the bottom of the seventh.

Ballenilla finished with three RBI on the night. Jonnie Gifford added two hits and two RBI. Mason Jacob singled twice and drove in a run, and JT Cienega added a single and an RBI.

Nolan Foster started and went five innings on the mound for Sherman. He struck out three, walked two and surrendered one earned run on four hits.

C.J. Cepicky homered and singled in the loss for Piney Woods. Jaxson Edwards added two hits and two RBI. Drake Lee singled and drove in two runs. Alexander Everett finished with two hits, and Charles Chenail chipped in with a single.

Grayson Dean opened on the hill for the TimberHogs, working four innings. He struck out two, walked one and allowed two earned runs on two hits.

The TimberHogs drop to 15-34 with 11 regular season games remaining. Sherman moves to 28-25 with the win.

Piney Woods is scheduled to visit Texarkana for games Friday, Saturday and Sunday, visit Sherman for one game on Tuesday and travel to Abilene for a pair of games on Wednesday.

The TimberHogs will close out the regular season with five home games – hosting Texarkana for two games (6 and 8 p.m.) on Thursday, July 31, and then closing things out with games Aug. 1, 2 and 3 against Texarkana.