Mason Cervenka, Granger Studdard and Trevor Ragsdale got plenty of varsity experience in 2011. They will be counted on heavily as veterans next season as the Rebels look to make another drive to the postseason. The Rebs finished second in District 27-4A this year, but were ousted by Uvalde in a one-game playoff in the bi-district round. PHOTO by JASON GORDON
by JASON GORDON
Although the Hays baseball team fell short of its goal of winning a fifth straight district title, Rebel head coach Doug Ragsdale couldn’t have been more proud of his players.
“It wasn’t like in 2009 when we had all that offense, or last season when we had proven pitchers coming back,” Ragsdale said. “We had a lot of unanswered questions. We had guys who didn’t have much varsity experience at all that had to prove themselves and that’s what they did time and time again this season.”
In a much tougher district than the Rebels competed in the past two seasons, Hays managed to fight its way to second place in the final 27-4A standings despite being swept by cross-town rival Lehman.
“There were a couple of times when we really could have hung our heads and felt sorry for ourselves, but we never did that,” Ragsdale said. “We did whatever we had to do to win. I could go up and down the lineup and pick out guys that at different times this season got the key hit or made the key defensive play to win a ballgame.”
Ragsdale pointed out several particularly clutch performances like Matt Casas shutting down both No. 6 Smithson Valley and Alamo Heights in crucial district games, Stefen Navarro coming up with a critical home run against Clemens in a key victory, Reuben Miller and Masen Gully’s hot hitting at the beginning of the district season and Nick Cavazos’ ability to step into the closer’s role.
Hays’ season came to an end with a 19-11 record after a one-game playoff series loss to Uvalde in the bi-district round.
“We really developed into a true team and I was real proud of these guys. They just kept coming back,” he said. “I think our team was built for a best-of-three playoff series and when we lost the flip to make it a one gamer it was tough. Uvalde’s pitcher was really on that night and that’s what can happen in a one-game series. I think it would have been a different story in a best-of-three.”
Ragsdale is already looking forward to the 2012 campaign.
Hays’ junior varsity went 21-7 this season and finished second in district, and the freshman team was 22-2-2 and captured the district title.
Hays will also have several returning pitchers – Trevor Ragsdale, Charlie Johnson, Anthony Valdez, Thomas Shannon, Seth Underwood and Mason Cervenka – who all saw action on the mound at the varsity level this season.
That group combined for a 9-2 record in 2011.
“We can throw six or seven arms out there next season who all have double-digit innings under their belt at the varsity level,” Coach Ragsdale said. “That’s a luxury we haven’t had in a long time. Most of them got to see action in district as well as non-district, and being in pressure situations like that will really pay off.”
Trevor Ragsdale, Valdez and Cervenka are also returners that will see time in the outfield next season. Granger Studdard will be a returning infielder/outfielder and Aaron Martinets will be a returning infielder for the Rebs. Antonio Oliva handles most of the catching duties, while Colten Odell and Michael Pieprzica will be utility players that should be fully recovered from injuries that hampered their progress in 2011.
