CALDWELL—Bulldog baseball breezed past Ganado in their series opener early Friday afternoon, throttling the south Texas school, 10-0.
However, their opponents were far from finished as GHS coach Luke Barganier saved his ace pitcher Lane Benavides for game two.
“We knew that they didn’t throw their number one pitcher in game one and that he was going to challenge us in game two,” Bulldog coach Kelly Kuhl said.
Thorndale put up two in the first after Bryson Beran hit a hard ground ball to left field that brought in Hunter Thigpen and Coy Stutts hit a foul pop up that Logan Davis scored on. THS got another run in the second, but Ganado stayed close with one in the second and two in the third.
Although another Bulldog made his way around the diamond in the fourth, GHS was able to put together a three-run rally with no outs in the top of the sixth to go up, 6-4.
THS was anything but finished, putting up four straight hits to bring in three runs of their own in the bottom of the sixth, regaining the lead, 7-6.
“We had to make the adjustment to use all sides of the field,” Kuhl said. “And when we finally did, we hit the ball a lot better.”
In the top of the seventh, pitcher Coy Stutts had two outs with runners on second and third. Kuhl elected to walk batter Hayden Cain to give his infield the option of ending the game on a force play at any base. On the next pitch, Thorndale won the game and series when Ganado’s Adam Tristan popped up to Hunter Clark in left field.
“I told a few people that if we make some of those plays in the inning that (Ganado) took the lead, then there’s a different mindset for our hitters in the box and they probably don’t get a few of those hits,” Kuhl said. “We talk before every game about picking up your teammates when something bad happens and that’s what Coy did on the mound.”
Beran and Thigpen each had two hits, while Davis and Merz both had one. Beran also threw five innings, allowing 10 hits and striking out four. Stutts struck out three in two innings pitched.
GAME ONE—THS opened up the 2022 playoffs with a bang, putting up three runs in their first at-bat thanks to a Luke Merz triple and hits from Davis, Stutts and Broedie Salas. This gave the ’Dawgs a 3-0 lead. THS went on to win, 10-0.
Merz, Salas, Stutts and Thigpen each had hits while Davis went three-for-three. The Concordia signee also led from the mound, only allowing two hits and striking out eight.
THIS WEEK—Going into round two, the Bulldogs take on Burton, who blazed through the first round with 15-0 and 9-2 victories over West Hardin this past weekend.
“They are pretty solid all around and it will be a challenge,” Kuhl said of Burton. “We’ll have to continue to pitch well, clean up the defense a little and use all parts of the field when we’re at the plate to win this series.”
The area round matchup will take place in Mum ford, with game one set for 7 p.m., Thursday. First pitch for game two is Friday at 7. If a game three is necessary, the two teams will return to Robertson County Saturday to play at 2 p.m.
If the Bulldogs win, they face the winner of Shiner and Big Sandy, who play one game to decide who moves on.
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