Texan baseball (108-1 overall, 2-1 district) entered play last week, set to complete the first round of district games against Canyon Lake and Boerne High Schools.
The Texans took the quick bus ride to Canyon Lake High School on Tuesday to face a Hawk team reeling from three consecutive district losses. Though they had lost to two teams the Texans previously defeated, the Hawks had completed a strong visit to Boerne coming into the game against the Texans.
Chase Carson took the mound in Canyon Lake after the Texans went without a baserunner in the first inning. The Hawks went to work immediately, garnering a lead off double and a single to put runners on the corners. The sixth pitch produced three runs as the Hawk batter homered to left field. The next three batters went down in order for a 3-0 Canyon Lake lead.
The Texans came out with intent in the top of the second. Lane Patek singled on the first pitch and made his way to third on an error before scoring on a passed ball. Ty Thames struck a line drive double to center and advanced to third on a single by Owen O’Neal. Wyatt Franchione reached base on a ground ball error that scored Thames and moved O’Neal to second. After O’Neal was caught stealing third, Franchione was able to make his way to third by stealing second and advancing on a passed ball, scoring on a Carson double to tie the score 3-3.
Wimberley kept the score tied in the bottom of the second, taking the lead in the top of the third after a Patek double and a Cody Overall RBI single driving in Patek. Three more singles by Thames, O’Neal and Franchione led to Overall crossing the plate. The bases were loaded when Bryson Young was hit by a pitch, scoring Thames and leaving the bases loaded with one out. Carson was at bat, working to a full count when he hit a fly ball into centerfield. O’Neal tagged up and attempted to score but was called out at the plate to complete the double play. The Texans led 6-3 and maintained the lead into the bottom of the fourth.
After Hawk players were put on base by hit by pitch, a walk and an infield hit, the Hawks scored one on a single before the Texans recorded two outs. With two on, a second Canyon Lake home run scored three, extending the lead to 9-6 before the inning concluded.
The Texans were unable to get on base in the top of the fifth and gave up four more runs in the bottom of the inning to trail 13-6. Wimberley put two runners on base in the sixth with one out when Lane Patek homered for the second time in the game, drawing to 13-9. Thames stroked a line drive homer two batters later with two outs, and Young singled for an RBI a couple of batters later to bring the Texan runs to 11. They would not score again, making the final score 17-11 in favor of the Hawks.
Patek assessed the Wimberley effort versus Canyon Lake.
“This is the kind of loss that stings because we could have and should have won the game, but we just didn’t get it done,” he explained. “We had hit batsmen, too many walks, and we weren’t clean in the field to back up our pitching.”
“We had pitchers through scrimmages and tournament play that showed control, and it seems we don’t have it any more,” commented Coach Stephen Wisdom. “Defensively, we just have to step up. We’ll have to keep working on it, I guess.”
There was little time for sorrow and dejection with the district leader Boerne Greyhounds coming to town on Friday. The Greyhounds brought their attitude and 17-2 record overall to bear on the Texans.
Ty Thames took the mound for the Texans, having thrown a 2 run no-hitter in his last start. Despite getting runners on base in the top of the first, Boerne was unable to produce runs. Kyler Lai’s throw of a laser to O’Neal in a pick off play served as a highlight for the Texan defense. The Texans failed to manufacture offense in the inning and headed to the second.
The Texans pitching and defensive woes combined for a handful of innings in district play where the score has gotten away from them, allowing four or more runs in the frame. The second was that inning on Friday night. The Greyhounds scored two by walk after the bases loaded through the first five batters. Thames threw two strikeouts in a row with bases loaded. The Greyhounds scored four on the next four at bats leading to a pitching change with Franchione coming in for Thames. After all was said and done, Boerne put up 11 runs in the inning. The Texans scored their lone run in the bottom of the third, giving up three runs over the course of the third and fifth innings. The game concluded after the bottom of the fifth by run rule with the final score 14-1.
A somber Wisdom had few words in defeat.
“I don’t know if there’s anything to say,” he said. “We need a leader or leaders to step up and talk when it needs to be done — to speak into the team — and lead by doing the things that work. We can’t do things the wrong way and expect good results.”
Tuesday, March 28, the Texans host Davenport, then travel to Garden Ridge to play the Wolves at home on Friday, March 31. Both games are set for a 6 p.m. first pitch. The Texans then play at Pflugerville High School on April 1 at 1 p.m.
