Even though the playoffs haven’t started, the Thorndale Bulldog baseball team has already started the most challenging part of the season.
They went into last week with a district record of 11-1, tied for first with Thrall, Texas High School Baseball’s 10th-ranked team in Class 2A.
However, Thorndale’s final two games were against the rival Tigers.
Last Tuesday in Thorndale, Thrall beat them 15-0.
“I think we just had a bad game,” said coach Kelly Kuhl. “If we hadn’t given up three unearned runs in the first inning, it would’ve been a 1-0 game going into the sixth inning and Bryson Beran wouldn’t have been at his pitch count.”
Game two in Thrall had a much different outcome.
In the top of the first, Logan Davis doubled to center to bring in Mason Lindig and give the Bulldogs a 1-0 lead.
In the bottom of the inning, Thrall’s Noah Hammak hit a two-run homer to make the game 2-1.
The remaining six innings were a pitching duel between Davis and Thrall’s Bryce Poling, who together gave up a combined three hits.
Although the week didn’t go in Thorndale’s favor, Kuhl is still optimistic about his team’s chances going into the postseason.
“I still feel like we’re in a good place,” Kuhl said. “We have gotten better as the year has gone on and that’s what you want to happen as a coach.”
PLAYOFFS—This Friday, the Bulldogs kick off the post-season with a familiar face, Weimar.
Thorndale went to WHS on March 2, and lost 8-2 in a game that was tied at two until the Wildcats put up three runs in both the fifth and sixth innings.
“We were a young and inexperienced team then and I feel like we’ve grown up a lot and have gotten better since then,” Kuhl said.
The Bulldog coach also said Weimar had two good pitchers, including senior Trenton Chenard, who is signed to play at Louisiana’s McNeese State University after graduation.
The Wildcats are also under new coach Ray Ramos, who describes his team as one that’s aggressive on the bases, like the 1980’s St. Louis Cardinals.
“You get them on and the track meet starts,” Ramos told the Victoria Advocate in February. “We’re big on situational baseball and putting pressure on the defense.”
“The kids seem to like it. High tempo, high energy is the way I like to coach,” he said.
GAME INFO—Game one is scheduled to be played Friday in Weimar at 7 p.m.
Game two will bring the ‘Dawgs back to Thorndale with both teams playing Saturday at noon.
If necessary, a game three will be played following the conclusion of game two.
If a live-streaming option is made available, Reporter social media will post the link to watch.
- Log in or Subscribe to post comments.