BASEBALL PLAYOFFS: Wall, Mason, Coleman hope to beat the heat in regional quarterfinals

It's gonna be a scorcher these next few days but Wall, Mason and Coleman hope to continue their red-hot runs through the high school baseball playoffs by cooling off their respective opponents in regional quarterfinal series.

Temperatures on Thursday and Friday are predicted to hit around 105, and Wall head coach Jason Schniers said it could be key factor in the Hawks Class 3A series against Bowie.

"It is going to be extra hot" so "one key to the series will be which team can handle the heat and not let it be a factor," said Schniers, whose team is looking to bust out of the regional quarterfinal round for the first time since the Hawks won a first-ever state championship in 2019.

Wall (26-6) takes on Bowie (26-10) at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene. Game 2 is set for 5 p.m. Saturday back at HSU with the third game, if needed, to follow 30 minutes later.

There could be a break in the temperatures by Saturday, as the high is predicted at 93.

Meanwhile, the Hawks hope to continue to pitch well and play solid defense to cool off the Jackrabbits, who are a third-place team that swept Ballinger in the area-round series.

"We have done a great job as of late throwing strikes and making plays when the ball is put in play," Schniers said.

Wall fell in this round last year in a three-game series to Brock. The year before, the Hawks were denied a chance to defend their state title by the COVID-19 pandemic that shut down the rest of the season that had barely started.

After winning the District 6-3A title in a playoff with Jim Ned, the Hawks have been dominant in the playoffs. They swept Stanton in two five-inning games and then swept Jacksboro, giving up just four runs over the two games.

The Hawks have also already dealt with unusual weather interrupting their game, as Game 2 against Jacksboro was halted with just one out to go by a 2.5-hour lightning delay.

One change Schniers would like to see is a better performance at the plate for the Hawks, who left 10 men stranded in the second game against Jacksboro.

"We must do a better job of two-out hitting when there are opportunities to put runs on the board," the coach said. "We struggled against Jacksboro in those situations and left a lot of opportunities on the bases."

Bowie is a dangerous team, rallying from deficits twice to put away Ballinger. Kynan Demoss, Cade Thompson and Carson Sanders all had multiple RBI games for the Jackrabbits in the area series.

Against Jacksboro, the Hawks got two dominant pitching performances.

Luke Kemp was one out away from a complete-game one-hitter in Game 2 when the game was delayed. The Hawks spent the whole time waiting on the bus.

Kemp had 14 strikeouts and gave up just one run. Matt Steen pitched the final out.

Nathan Pepper was the Game 1 winner, striking out six. The Tigers managed six hits against Pepper but the Wall defense held up and Jacksboro was only able to score three.

Kemp, Will Scherr and Dylan Gidney each hit 2-for-3 for the Hawks in the series decider. Kemp and Kelton Bowman each drove in a run.

Gunnar Dillard had a double and two RBI to lead Wall at the plate in the first game.

One more aspect to third-round baseball and beyond is distractions of graduation and the end of the school year. Schniers said the Hawks need to stay focused on what is at stake.

The winner plays either Shallowater or Bushland series in the regional semifinals. Shallowater has a 29-1-1 record while Bushland is 23-2.

Punchers take on Kenedy

Mason takes on Kenedy in a Class 2A regional quarterfinal series at San Antonio Davenport.

Mason (19-4) swept Freer to get to this round, and the Punchers' series with Kenedy reflects the need to escape the heat.

The series starts at 7 p.m. Thursday and Game 2 is also a 7 p.m. start Friday. The third game, if necessary, is set for noon Saturday. The winner faces Thorndale or Shiner in the regional semifinals.

Puncher coach Jay Immel said it will be important for his team to focus on Kenedy and not worry about a potential rematch with Shiner, the team that ended Mason's season last year in the regional semis.

The Punchers need to "throw strikes and play good defense behind the pitcher," and "be disciplined in the batter's box and only swing at good pitches," Immel said.

Against Freer, a walk-off RBI single by Spencer Morris closed the series 5-4. Wyatt Row struck out 11 and gave up four runs, while Ryne Todd closed out the game and got the win.

Blake Lewis was the winner on the mound in the 6-3 series opener. He had seven Ks in six innings and gave up just one run.

Todd, Lewis, Frankie Bolley, Matthew King and Ivan Wofford led the Punchers at the plate in the series.

“We want to play together as a team,” Immel said. “Be a family out on the field.”

Coleman battles Albany

Coleman (14-8) takes on Albany (17-5) in a Class 2A regional quarterfinal series in Region I.

That series starts at 7 p.m. Friday at McMurry University in Abilene. Game 2 is 11 a.m. Saturday at McMurry, followed by a potential series finale.

Coleman comes into the series off a sweep of Forsan. Blaze Hronek and Garrett Smith each had two RBI in a 13-8 series finale while Ryland Gentry had a solo homer.

The Bluecats opened the series by scoring three runs in the bottom of the ninth to win 8-5. Gentry, Hronek and Skyler Clark were the Bluecat leaders at the plate.

Albany swept Eldorado (3-2, 12-1). Cole Read struck out six and walked none in a five-inning decision in Game 2. He also had five hits in that game. Cooper Fairchild, Zane Waggoner and Cole Chapman all had extra-base hits in the series for Albany.

The winner meets Clarendon or Lockney in the regional semifinals.

Amy McDaniel is a multimedia sports journalist. Send news tips to amy.mcdaniel@gosanangelo.com. Consider supporting West Texas journalism with a subscription to GoSanAngelo.com.

This article originally appeared on San Angelo Standard-Times: BASEBALL PLAYOFFS: Wall, Mason, Coleman aim for regional semifinals