The Longhorns’ playoff run has come amid adversity. A tornado struck Gordon during the postseason, causing severe damage to the school.
ROUND ROCK, Texas — Editor’s note: The video published above is a WFAA report on the community rallying behind the baseball time as they were sent off to the state championship game.
The Gordon Longhorns fell to the Fayetteville Lions in the 1A UIL State Championship at Dell Diamond in Round Rock on Saturday morning.
The Longhorns lost to the Lions, 4-2.
Fayetteville got out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Gordon cut the deficit in half, 2-1, in the bottom half of the first inning.
The Lions scored another run in the top of the second inning to make it 3-1. In the bottom of the third, Gordon left two runners in scoring position stranded on base.
Fayetteville extended its lead in the top of the fourth inning to 4-1 with a RBI single to right field. A batter’s interference call took a run scored for Gordon off the scoreboard. Then, the Longhorns left runners stranded again in the bottom of the fourth inning after a base runner stole third base with two outs, which led to an over throw and was later thrown out at home plate.
Gordon never gave up though. In the bottom of the seventh with one out, the Longhorns got runners on second and third with the tying run at the plate. A fielder’s choice put runners on the corners with one out left in the game. Gordon stole second to put two more runners in scoring position. An infield base hit brought home another run, narrowing the deficit 4-2. With runners on the corners again, Gordon stole second and were a base hit away from potentially tying the game.
A pop-out to the catcher behind home plate ended the game, stranding two more base runners. Gordon left eight base runners stranded throughout the game, batting 2-for-11 in those at bats.
The Longhorns’ playoff run came amid adversity in their every day lives. A tornado struck Gordon during the postseason, causing severe damage to the school and prompting the district to cancel classes for the remainder of the year. Despite the destruction, the community rallied around the team, helping clear debris and repair damage while continuing to support the Longhorns’ pursuit of a title. The Texas Rangers also helped the team gear up for their playoff run.
Saturday was Gordon’s first appearance in the state championship game and Fayetteville’s third in a row. It was Fayetteville’s 11th time in the state championship, and their fourth state title in school history (1997, 2012, 2021, 2025). Fayetteville lost the state championship games in 2023 and 2024.