Langham Creek has made a habit of coming from behind in several games this year. The Lobos offense seems to get the clutch hit in almost any situation.

“To these kids, it’s what they do,” Langham Creek coach Armando Sedeno said. “They’re not going to give up, they’re going to stay fine and that we have a great offense that can put runs on the board.”

That continued Saturday afternoon at Cinco Ranch High School, as Langham Creek got a great team hitting performance and clutch pitching from Taylor Norris to beat Cinco Ranch 4-3 in the third game of the best-two-of-three series to advance to the area round of the Region III-5A playoffs.

Cinco won the second game 10-7 earlier in the day to force the decisive third game.

Norris, a junior, worked out of bases-loaded jams in the second, third and fourth innings to make an early 4-0 lead hold up, while the Lobos’ potent offense kept going all series long.

“My assistant said to me, ‘Coach, you got more ice water in your veins, because I would pulled (Taylor) already,’ ” Sedeno said. “But you have to trust with what got you here. You don’t throw the towel when you get behind with something. I believe in these kids and I’m going to work with them and believe in them and each other.”

The Lobo defense was strong, committing only one error in the two games.

“I was thankful for that,” Norris said. “I got a great team (behind me).”

Langham Creek (24-7) got started with a two-run double by outfielder Andy Nowak in the second inning, then RBI hits by outfielder Austin Fretias and first baseman Ryan Sedeno in the third gave the Lobos a 4-0 lead.

Cinco Ranch (16-18) finally got some runs in the fifth inning after leaving the bases loaded in the last three innings. Outfielder Jesse Tijerina scored on a passed ball, then a RBI double by outfielder Matt Henry scored Matt Warren. The next inning, catcher Johnson Miller got a two-out RBI single that plated shortstop Charles Trickett. The Cougars later loaded the bases again, but reliever Codey Morehouse closed the door on Cinco by forcing Warren to ground out to third base.

In the second game, both teams started scoring early. Creek scored four runs in the first inning, with RBI hits by Morehouse, first baseman Andrew Banak and outfielder Zach Azra.

Cinco responded with a two-run triple by Tijerina in the first and RBI hits by second baseman Chris Fredrich and designated hitter Ryan Young in the second to tie the game at four.

After the Lobos tacked on a run in the third, the Cougars got three in the bottom of the inning, with the big blow being a two-RBI single by Fredrich that scored Tijerina and first baseman Tyler Mack to give Cinco a 7-5 lead.

Mack then got a two-RBI double in the sixth inning, then scored on a single by Warren to give the Cougars some insurance.

But those big hits went missing in the third game, when Cinco left 13 men on base.

In the first game Friday night at Langham Creek, the Lobos won 10-9 by scoring four runs in the sixth and another in the seventh after the Cougars tied the game in the top of the seventh.

Langham Creek will next face District 20-5A champ Lamar in the area round of the playoffs. Sedeno hopes his team can continue to mature and play well, especially against a tough team like the Redskins.

 “I think they’re finally growing up to understand they’re capable of playing (good baseball),” Sedeno said. “I knew we had to go through some growing pains, but this series was another growing pain with them knowing that they might die today.”

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