Hays head coach Doug Rasgdale won his 400th career game Friday night as his Rebels rallied for victory over Alamo Heights. Lehman also had its second walk-off win in the span of a week, this time over Canyon. (Photo by Joel San-Miguel)
Hays was trailing at Alamo Heights 4-3 with two outs and no one on base in the top of the seventh inning and looked to be headed toward defeat.
That’s before Aaron Martinets and Trevor Ragsdale hit consecutive triples to tie the game.
The Mules had a chance to win it in the bottom of the seventh when Cameron Mineo singled off of Hays reliever Adrian Acosta. Acosta, who pitched the final four innings to pick up the win, was able to avoid further damage by recording two straight outs to send the game to extra innings.
In the top of the eighth inning, Hays surged to an insurmountable lead to pick up longtime head coach Doug Ragsdale’s 400th career win. He announced before the season began this would be his last year in coaching.
“Picking up my 400th win means I’ve been coaching a long time. It is really a tribute to a lot of kids playing hard through a lot of years,” said Doug Ragsdale, who has led Hays to nine district titles in his 18-year career. “I’m undoubtedly proud of our team playing some really good baseball right now after a pretty rough start in district.”
Grant Anderson’s walk and Daniel Valdez’s infield single started the rally. Justin Montana’s squeeze bunt scored Anderson to give Hays a 5-4 advantage.
The Rebels added to their lead on Martinets’ two-RBI single to center field.
Acosta struck out two Heights batters in the bottom of the eighth to shut the barn door on the Mules.
Hays, which started the season 1-4 in district action, is now 4-4 in 27-4A after three straight wins over Smithson Valley, Lehman and Alamo Heights.
The Rebels are still in a fourth-place tie with Lehman, but the district standings have bunched up.
Clemens and Smithson Valley lead the league standings with 5-2 records. Heights sits in third at 5-3, and Hays and Lehman are 4-4.
Lehman, which pulled out a 4-3 walk-off victory over Clemens last week, had another thrilling win Friday night.
Lehman and Canyon were tied 2-2 headed to the bottom of the seventh inning at Lobo Field.
Rudy Martinez walked and stole second base before Hunter Lehman hit a shot to deep left-center field that bounced off the wall. Martinez easily scored the game-winner in the 3-2 Lobo win.
In the top of the seventh, Hunter Lehman also proved to be the hero on the mound, striking out three straight batters to kill the hopes of a Canyon rally.
Hunter Lehman finished the game 3-for-4 at the plate with all three Lobo RBIs. He also pitched a complete-game on the mound to pick up the victory, allowing only three hits while striking out 10 batters.
“It was all Hunter Lehman last night,” Lehman head coach Toby Robinson said. “He’s really determined right now and is one of our best competitors.”
Hays is back in action Tuesday against Clemens at Rebel Field. First pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m. Lehman next plays at Smithson Valley Tuesday night in a game scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.
