Hays has won five out of six games since starting the district season 0-3 and is in the hunt for a playoff spot with only two games remaining. (Photo by Cyndy Slovak-Barton)
By JASON GORDON
Hays head baseball coach Doug Ragsdale said he hasn’t been using the term “must win game” with his team, but in reality the Rebels have been in plenty of those situations this season.
One of those was Friday night at Lockhart, but after the Rebels rallied for five runs with two outs in the top of the first inning, the final outcome was never in doubt in a 10-2 Rebel romp.
After starting district play 0-3, Hays is now 5-5 heading into its final two games. The Rebels are currently hanging on to the fourth and final playoff spot in District 27-4A. Hays will host Canyon Friday night and will take to the road to end the regular season at Smithson Valley April 27.
“Lockhart was a game we needed to win to stay in the hunt,” Ragsdale said. “Our chances to make the playoffs would have been pretty slim if we didn’t get that one. But because we beat Lockhart, now Canyon becomes our most important game of the year. That’s how it is late in the season when everyone’s fighting to get in to the playoffs.”
Against Lockhart, after Hays’ first two batters struck out on six straight pitches, Trevor Ragsdale, Granger Studdard and Dalton Niles all singled before Andrew Laughlin’s three-RBI double off the left-centerfield wall cleared the bases and staked Hays to a 3-0 lead. Danny Valdez and Antonio Oliva followed with RBI singles and Hays led 5-0.
“I’ve been coaching against Lockhart for many years, and it’s always been important to score early against them,” Ragsdale said. “If you don’t, they get pretty pumped up. I didn’t think we were going to get anything that first inning the way it started, but our guys really started making solid contact one right after the other.”
Hays put the game away in the third inning when Aaron Martinets’ double to right-center scored Alex Robles. Niles followed with a two-RBI single that brought Trevor Ragsdale and Studdard home, and Danny Valdez’s single that plated Niles gave Hays a 9-2 advantage.
On the mound, sophomore Tyler Woodmansee pitched six innings, allowing only four hits while striking out seven batters. Charlie Johnson came in and pitched a perfect seventh inning in relief for the Rebs to close out the contest.
“It’s been really cool to see the way Tyler has progressed for us this season,” Doug Ragsdale said. “He throws strikes, gets a lot of ground balls, and people don’t hit the ball very hard against him. We’re counting on him to do well for us a couple of more times before the regular season ends.”
It was Hays’ fifth victory in its last six games.
“I think once this team found its identity we knew we were going to be all right,” Ragsdale said. “We’re doing what we do best. Battling on the mound and at the plate, and we’re not letting each and every defensive mistake get us down.”
Hays’ last regular season home game against Canyon Friday night is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.
