H.S. baseball: Bats come alive for Abilene Wylie in late innings in win over Lubbock High
Through three innings, it appeared Wylie was in a dogfight with Lubbock High. It certainly didn’t seem like a game that would end on the 10-run mercy rule.
Yet Wylie finally put up six runs in the fourth inning to break open a 1-0 game, and the Bulldogs remained hot in a 10-0 five-inning victory over the Westerners in a District 4-5A baseball game Saturday at Wylie High School.
Wylie, which had three hits through the first three innings, pounded out nine in the final two innings.
“Of the first seven outs we gave them, we had five pop ups,” Wylie coach Grant Martin said. “We found a way to hit the ball on a line and get it done. I was proud of them for that.”
K.J. Long, Tye Briscoe and Hays Sipe drove in two runs apiece, while Carter Beard tossed a four-hitter as the Bulldogs bounced back from a 5-4 loss the night before at Lubbock Monterey.
“We had a tough one last night, but we came back today and got this one," Martin said. "It’s just on to the next one now."
The victory, coupled with Abilene High’s 10-3 win over Lubbock Coronado, left the Bulldogs (16-10-1 overall, 10-6 district) in sole possession of the fourth and final playoff berth with a week left in the regular season.
Coronado (17-12-1, 9-7), which hosts Wylie on Tuesday, is game back of the Bulldogs.
Abilene High (14-15, 11-6) and Monterey (15-16, 11-6) are tied for second – a half-game back of Lubbock-Cooper (18-15, 11-5), which had a bye Saturday. Both AHS and Monterey also have only a half-game lead over Wylie.
Lubbock-Cooper hosts AHS on Tuesday before ending league play at Wylie on Friday.
Monterey, the hottest team in the district right now, has the best path to a playoff berth with only a road game at last-place Lubbock High (5-21-1, 1-14) left.
But it’s been a topsy-turvy district, so the final four playoff spots might not be determined until the final night.
So, Saturday’s win was crucial for a Wylie team likely facing two more must-win games next week. It might be a deal where a team can either win a district title or miss the playoffs.
“Our kids understand that,” Martin said. “Last night hurt, but the good thing is we got to get up today and play again.”
Beard gets out of early jams
Lubbock High held tough with Wylie for three innings on Saturday. The Westerners even put runners in scoring position two of the first three innings – including a runner at second with one out and eventually runners at first and third with two outs in the third inning, before Beard got out of the jam.
The Westerners also put runners at first and second with out in the first inning and came up empty.
After leaving three runners on base through the first innings against Lubbock High pitcher Moses Dimas, the Bulldogs finally scratched out a run in the bottom of the third. Reese Borho coaxed a one-out walk, took second on a two-out balk and scored on Sipe’s single.
Beard got out of another jam in the fourth – getting a strike out to end the inning with runners at first and third, all after the Westerners had got a leadoff hit.
Bats get cranking
Wylie finally got the bats rolling in the bottom of the fourth. Sam Walker, Colby Garrett and Braden Regala each singled, loading the bases. Long followed with a two-run double. After Borho walked, Briscoe greeted reliever Christopher Nall with a two-run single. Borho came around to score on Sipe’s single, and Briscoe scored on a passed ball for a 7-0 Wylie lead.
The Bulldogs ended the game on the 10-run with a three-run fifth. Luke Najera singled, and Gavin Nelson was hit by a pitch. Regala followed with an RBI single. After Long walked, loading the bases, Nelson scored on a balk. The Westerners chose to put Borho on, setting up the force at home. With two outs, pinch-hitter Lane Justice ended the game with an RBI single.
It was more than enough for Beard, who struck out eight and walked three in five innings. His gutsy work in the early innings kept the Bulldogs from playing from behind.
“Carter did a great job,” Martin said. “It was a special day for all of our seniors today. He did a wonderful job on the mound, kept us in it and gave an opportunity to have that big inning.”
Dimas took the loss, allowing six runs on seven hits. He struck out one and walked three. Nall was touched for four runs on five hits. He struck out two and walked two.
This article originally appeared on Abilene Reporter-News: Abilene Wylie routs Lubbock High in District 4-5A baseball game
