AUSTIN, Texas — The "Cardiac Cougars" are state champions in baseball for the first time since the year 2000.
Thursday, June 8, China Spring beat Texarkana Liberty-Eylau 3-2 in a 12-inning UIL Class 4A State Championship Game at UFCU Disch-Falk Field on the University of Texas campus in Austin.
China Spring struck first in the third inning with a two-run double from Trevor Black.
Down 2-1, the Leopards tied it on a delayed double steal and the two teams exchanged zeros on the scoreboard to end the first seven innings.
For the first four extra innings, both teams would leave runners on base before China Spring loaded them with one out in the bottom of the 12th inning.
Then, Jacob Klement drew a walk to clinch the Cougars' first state championship in 23 years.
With the win, head coach Cory Beckham is now a three-time state championship-winning coach after winning it at West in 2015 and 2016.
Beckham also was the shortstop on China Spring's 1989 state title-winning baseball team.
The championship is the school's second this academic year, after the football team won its second-straight title in December.
More from 6 News:
