By Moses Leos III
When the Hays Rebels had chances to score runs Tuesday, Lake Travis pitcher Tate Sandford kept shutting the door.
Hays’ inability to score runs in key situations hurt the Rebels as they fell 2-0 in a key 14-6A district matchup.
With the defeat, Hays (8-10, 6-3) falls into a three-way tie with Anderson and Westlake for second place in the district standings.
Hays head coach James Howard said capitalizing on opportunities against Lake Travis was a vital component they didn’t take advantage of.
“You have to cash in when they give you those opportunities,” Howard said. “We didn’t do that tonight. You have to tip your hat to Lake Travis. They made plays when they needed to.”
Tuesday’s game featured a pitching duel as Sandford and Hays High’s Mike Gonzales matched wits and traded outs in the early going.
Sandford proved dominant on the mound Tuesday as he struck out five batters and allowed two walks in a complete game, one hit shutout.
Hays struggled to decipher Sandford, who limited the Rebels to only three baserunners the entire game. Sandford didn’t allow a Rebel to reach base after the third inning.
Howard said Sandford was able to keep Rebel batters off balance by fluctuating speeds and keeping the ball low in the strike zone.
Hays centerfielder Josh Burnett said the team entered the game confident as they had seen Sandford earlier this season. Burnett said the Rebels worked to adjust at the plate and “get in the groove” in the early going.
Meanwhile, Lake Travis equally struggled against Gonzales, who struck out two batters over seven innings. Gonzales conceded five hits and a walk in the loss.
Howard said Gonzales is a “competitor” on the mound.
“He’s not overpowering on the mound, but he’s a little bulldog. He gets after it,” Howard said.
Providing assistance was the Rebel defense, which made several pivotal plays on defense to keep Lake Travis from scoring runs, and the Rebels within striking distance.
It was highlighted by a spectacular sliding catch from Burnett in the fifth inning, as he snagged a fly ball off after it rebounded off his body.
“I feel comfortable in center and I feel comfortable (playing) behind Mike. I do whatever it takes to get the out,” Burnett. “Facing a tough team like that, it’s the little things you do right.”
The Rebels’ first and best chance to score a run came in the second inning, which was led off by Cole Irby. Eric Hernandez, who pinch ran for Irby, was sacrificed to second base by Tyler Wilson, then stole third base.
But Sandford responded by recording back-to-back outs to end the threat. He accomplished a similar feat in the next inning. With runners at the corners and one out, Sandford forced a 6-4-3 double play to end the third frame.
As Hays failed to take advantage of its chances, Lake Travis didn’t squander its.
Lake Travis took a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning, as Gabe Garves delivered an RBI single, scoring catcher Jacob Wyeth from second base.
Wyeth returned the favor in the sixth inning as he delivered a one-out RBI single to give the Cavaliers a 2-0 advantage.
It was all Sandford needed as he retired the final six batters.
Despite the loss, Howard said going up against the future University of Texas at Austin pitcher will help the Rebels as they make a possible postseason run.
“That’s the kind of pitcher you’re going to see every week in the playoffs,” Howard said. “We have some work we have to get done to prepare ourselves for the playoffs. Obviously we’re not ready. We’re going to hit the field tomorrow, work hard, and get ready for the playoffs.”
