By Moses Leos III
Two years ago, Lehman High senior pitcher Justin Penney was a part of a groundbreaking era in Lobo athletic history.
Only a freshman at the time, Penney was a part of the 2011 Lobo squad that completed back-to-back postseason appearances by reaching the bi-district round.
Despite falling to Brenham, the experience of a playoff game was enriching for the Lobos pitcher.
The Lobos, coming off a two-year playoff dry spell since the bi-district round, saw the problem exacerbated in 2013 when the Lobos fell short of expectations, finishing 14-15, 6-8 in district play.
“Last season was disappointing. Our district was tough, as all four playoff teams [made deep runs],” Penney said. “However, we expect to compete. We expect to make the postseason.”
With one year left at Leh-man, Penney hopes to help the Lobos reach the playoffs once again. He aims to improve his skills by competing against the best baseball players over the summer months.
For the past couple of summers, Penney crisscrossed the state, competing for the Line Drive Academy select baseball team out of Buda.
Traveling from Dallas, to Houston and as far away as Corpus Christi, Penney honed his skills on the diamond with the Diamond Dawgs.
“Playing for the Line Drive Academy has been a great experience,” Penney said. “It has allowed me to prepare myself for the upcoming baseball season.”
Penney believes he gained a vast amount of experience competing with his select league, which plays in wood and aluminum bat tournaments. He hopes the knowledge learned from select ball translates to the high school medium.
“I have learned how to approach batters differently, depending on the bat type,” Penney said. “Against aluminum bats, I try not to jam hitters [on the inside part of the plate] as much. With a wood bat, the bat breaks, and allows for an easy out. Not so with aluminum.”
He owes much of his progression on the field to LDA head coach, Clay Jessee.
“I have known [Clay] Jessee since I started high school,” Penney said. “He does a great job of not only getting his players ready to play ball, but [he] also helps them become better individuals as well.”
Select ball gave Penney a glimpse into looking beyond high school.
“Texas A&M Corpus Christi has been a top college of mine. A few of my teammates have attended the school.” Penney said. “I have talked with the [A&M Corpus Christi] coaches; they made me feel as if it was not only an ideal place to play, but also a great place to get a good education.”
However, with the select season winding down, Penney’s immediate focus is on the start of off-season workouts for the Lobos baseball team.
Despite the struggles the squad had in 2013, Penney realized how a few moments will help provide the basis for a Lobo resurgence. Along with the sweep of Hays, Penney believes defeating Alamo Heights 2-0 on the road late last season may be the catalyst the team needs.
“Defeating Alamo Heights for the first time ever was an enjoyable moment,” Penney said. “We hope this provides an incentive for us to work harder.”
Penney, who was named second team all-district, wishes to finish next season on the first team all-district list, along with first team all Cen-Tex honors.
However, making it back to the playoffs will greatly trump personal goals.
“We just want to get back to the playoffs,” he said. “We want to get back, and get beyond the first round.”
