Hays senior Sam Breyfogle pitched five strong innings and had an RBI-single in the Rebels’ 11-2 win at Lockhart Friday night. (Photo by Joel San Miguel)
By JASON GORDON
In about the time it takes to stand in line and get served at Kreuz’s, Black’s or Chisholm Trail, the Hays baseball team barbequed the Lions in Lockhart Friday night.
The Rebels left room for dessert with an easy 11-2 win that keeps Hays tied atop the district standings with two games remaining.
Hays rode the solid pitching of Sam Breyfogle and pounded out 12 hits on the night. The Rebels also took advantage of several early defensive blunders by Lockhart to build their advantage.
“I’m really proud of the way we’re hitting the baseball,” Hays head coach Doug Ragsdale said. “The great thing is I think our best games are still ahead of us. This is a group that’s not content and wants to improve.”
A win next Friday evening at home against Lehman and a victory the next day on Saturday afternoon at Manor would guarantee the Rebels at least a share of the 17-4A title with San Marcos. If a tie should occur, Hays and San Marcos would either flip a coin to determine playoff seeding or have a one-game playoff likely on May 3 for the top postseason seed and bragging rights.
“I think ever since we beat San Marcos in round two of district play, it gave us the confidence we can hit against anybody and that’s a great feeling heading toward the playoffs,” Hays outfielder Phillip Abreo said. “There haven’t been many people that have hit (San Marcos ace) Blake Bagley the way we did, and that gave us so much momentum.”
The Rebels showed early on against Lockhart their recent surge wouldn’t be slowed, as Reuben Miller’s single up the middle and Anthony Pesina’s single down the right field line scored Mason Gully and Dylan Salinas to make it 2-0 heading to the bottom of the second inning.
Breyfogle helped his own cause in the top of the third with a run-scoring single that plated Abreo, and when Lockhart starting pitcher Ryan Hitter throw wildly on a pickoff attempt at first base for the second time in the game Gully scored to make it 4-0.
The Rebs (18-6, 9-1 17-4A) put the game away when they sent 10 men to the plate in the top of the fourth inning.
Abreo and Miller notched RBIs in the frame and Salinas came up with the key hit, a two-run single up the middle to score Gully and Shelby Sherman and Hays led 8-0.
That was more than enough run support for Breyfogle, who threw five innings of three-hit baseball, striking out seven batters. Dylan Morrow came on to close out the final two innings in relief for the Rebels.
“We feel like when anyone gets a hit, it sets off a chain reaction and we all start hitting,” Breyfogle said. “We’re playing great team baseball right now.”
Hays knows it will play either Waller or Montgomery in the first round of the playoffs, but Ragsdale is more concerned with the Rebels finishing off the regular season strong. Hays will have a weeklong layoff without a game due to TAKS testing.
“We’re going to try and keep the kids sharp by putting them in pressure-type game situations this week in practice,” Ragsdale said. “Having back-to-back games next weekend doesn’t bother me. We’ll be ready.”
