ROCKETS HIGHLIGHT ANOTHER AWESOME WEEKEND OF AREA ATHLETICS

THERE’S something for everyone during what will be an exciting weekend of sports
across the area.
TODAY, WEDNESDAY: Game two of the Western Conference quarterfinal between
the Rockets and Timberwolves starts at 8:30pm and will aired on both TNT and AT&T
Sportsnet Southwest. Houston won the series opener with a 104-101 squeaker at
Toyota Center on Sunday night behind 44 points from James Harden. AT&T Sportsnet
Southwest will start coverage with the pregame show at 8:00pm.
Gerrit Cole continues his strong start when he takes the mound for the Astros in the
finale of a three-game set at the Mariners beginning at 9:10pm. Cole (1-0, 1.29 ERA)
has recorded double-digit strikeouts in his first three starts with Houston, including a
14-strikeout gem against the Rangers last Friday. Mike Leake (2-0, 3.50 ERA) gets
the start for Seattle in a game that will be aired on AT&T Sportsnet Southwest’s alternate
channel beginning with the pregame show at 8:30pm.
TOMORROW, THURSDAY: Clear Creek and Friendswood will be among the teams
competing in the Class 6A regionals at Deer Park High School. The two-day event
will see the top finishers advance to the state meet in College Station on May 17-18.
The road to the state track and field championships reaches the area stage as
Districts 23 and 24-5A gather at Hall Stadium in Sugar Land. Galveston Ball’s Leyha
Williams and Santa Fe’s Caitlyn Garza will be among the featured performers as
Williams comes off a school record-tying effort 18 feet, 11 inches in the girls long jump
while Garza captured the 23-5A title in the pole vault.
FRIDAY: The final day of high school softball regular season play starts with Dickinson
at Clear Brook, Alvin at Friendswood, Fort Bend Marshall at Galveston Ball, Shadow
Creek at Santa Fe and Manvel at Texas City each beginning at 6:30pm. Clear Falls
visits Clear Creek starting at 6:45pm.
In high school baseball play, La Marque is at Danbury and Shadow Creek at
Galveston Ball each begin at 6:00pm while Clear Brook at Alvin, Clear Lake at Clear
Creek, Friendswood at Clear Springs, Clear Falls at Dickinson, Hitchcock at East
Bernard, Galena Park at Santa Fe and Fort Bend Willowridge at Texas City each
start at 7:00pm.
The track and field spotlight will be on Districts 23 and 24-6A in the area meet held
at The Rig in Pearland. The meet will be the last prior to next week’s regional meet
at Turner Stadium in Humble.
Justin Verlander (2-0, 1.35 ERA) gets the start for the Astros as they open a threegame
set at the White Sox. Chicago will counter with James Shields, who will bring
a 1-0 record and 4.15 ERA to the mound when the game starts at 7:10pm. AT&T
Southwest will start its coverage with the pregame show at 6:30pm.
SATURDAY: A trio of high school baseball games are on tap, starting with Santa Fe
at Fort Bend Willowridge and Texas City at Shadow Creek at 1:00pm. Galveston Ball
visits Manvel beginning at 2:00pm.
The Astros turn to Dallas Keuchel (0-2, 4.20 ERA) in the second game of the series
against the White Sox. Lucas Giolito (0-2, 5.50 ERA) goes for Chicago when the first
pitch is launched at 6:10pm. AT&T Sportsnet Southwest will begin its coverage with
the pregame show at 5:30pm.
Game three of the Rockets-Timberwolves series moves to Minnesota, which will host
its first postseason contest since 2004. ESPN and AT&T Sportsnet Southwest will
each air the game at 6:30pm with the latter channel beginning its pregame coverage
at 6:00pm.