The Hays boys baseball team is learning to win in comeback style, as the Rebs went 3-1 at the San Marcos tournament over the weekend, posting wins over San Antonio Christian, Keller Central and the host-school Rattlers. (photo by Cyndy Slovak-Barton)
By JASON GORDON
The Hays High baseball team proved something in the San Marcos Tournament over the weekend that will certainly serve the Rebels well the rest of the season.
It would probably be a bad idea to ever count the Rebs out of a ballgame.
Hays went 3-1 in the round-robin tournament, with the last two victories coming in dramatic fashion.
On Friday, Hays trailed Keller Central early before rallying to tie the score 3-3 heading to the seventh inning.
Granger Studdard’s two-run triple broke the tie and sent Hays on its way to a 7-3 victory.
Trevor Ragsdale, who had a no-hitter through five innings, got the complete-game win on the mound for the Rebs and finished with a three-hitter.
Saturday against host San Marcos, Hays trailed 4-1 in the fifth inning before rallying.
JC Cerda’s triple and Dalton Niles’ double helped Hays send the game into extra innings. Andrew Laughlin’s pinch-hit single started a Rebel rally in the eighth inning, and Trevor Ragsdale’s two-RBI single later in the 8th helped give Hays the 7-5 win.
Niles pitched three innings in relief to earn the win, and Alec Swofford came on to record the final out for the save.
Trevor Ragsdale finished the game against the Rattlers with four RBIs.
“Like Yogi Berri said, ‘It ain’t over ’til it’s over,’ Hays head coach Doug Ragsdale said. “Our kids believe that. When you know you can come back like we’ve been doing it really pays off in the long run. We know we’re going to have a lot of close games like these in what we expect to be a very competitive district.”
Hays’ lone loss in the tournament came in game two against Hendrickson 8-6, where Antonio Oliva had a double and scored two runs for the Rebs.
The Rebels opened the tournament with a 4-1 win over San Antonio Christian. Hays sophomore pitcher Tyler Woodmansee pitched a six-inning game, giving up only four hits while striking out six batters.
“We’ve been down in four of our five games, so the kids are really showing some resiliency,” Doug Ragsdale said. “On Saturday, I told the kids it was time to compete when we were losing to San Marcos, and it was like a light switch came on.”
Hays will compete in the Judson Tournament Thursday through Saturday. The Rebs open with San Antonio Central Catholic at Judson High Thursday at 11 a.m.
Hays opens the District 27-4A season at Lehman, which swept the Rebels last season. The game was originally scheduled for Monday, but has been moved to Tuesday, March 6. First pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m.
