A Look Back!!!
The Canyon Lake Hawks baseball team, were the first to go past the first round of the playoffs last season.
We thought it would be nice to warm the fans up with the article coming from the Hilltop Reporter Sports Archives. The three game series did not end like the team wanted, but the opponent knew that they were lucky to advance past the Hawks.
Canyon Lake’s Baseball Odyssey
First Game: Hidalgo 7 Canyon Lake 2
The Hawks ended their season this past weekend May 14-15, against the Hidalgo Pirates at Falfurrias on Friday and McAllen Texas on Saturday.
The first game was dominated by the Pirates as they took the lead in the bottom of the first inning 2-1 batting against Pitcher Ross Wagliardo.
Canyon Lake scored in the top of the first inning after Senior Drew Riccio was hit by pitch and stole second.
Wagliardo reached base on a infield single which set the stage for Sophomore Zach Jenkins as he plated Riccio with a solid single to right field giving the underdog Hawks an early lead.
The Pirates produced as advertised in the bottom of the same inning with two runs.
Trazon Jones reached first on an error and then advance to second on a sacrifice bunt. After another walk, Juan Moya gapped a double to score the first two runs for the Pirates.
The inning would not end as Hidalgo loaded the bases before Leonel Flores flied out to centerfielder Zach Jenkins to end the threat.
Hidalgo got separation from Canyon Lake in the bottom of the third inning when they scored three runs to take a 5-1 lead. The three runs were scored with four singles.
The Hawks drew blood again in the sixth to close the gap to 5-2.
Wagliardo started the inning with a walk and was replaced with Senior Eric Nelson as a courtesy runner. Nelson was plated on a sacrifice fly by third baseman Travis Walker.
Hidalgo finished the scoring with two runs in the sixth for the final score 7-2.
“We pitched well,” Coach Trent Dunavant said. “We got out of our comfort zone. This was the second round (of the playoffs) and we are still learning. They took advantage of our mistakes.”
The Pirates came into the game ranked 15th in some polls for Class 3A schools and had no errors—good pitching— and good offensive production.
The rain held off until after the game, but there was a 45 minute lightning delay in the fifth inning.
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Second Game: Canyon Lake 11 Hidalgo 9
The second game was being played in McAllen at Memorial High School. They decided to change venue when the rain made the field at Falfurrias unplayable.
The Hawk’s were on a roller coaster ride as they scored the first six runs of the game.
The second inning was a good indication on how this game might be different from the game played in Falfurrias.
After two routine ground outs to the second baseman, the Hawk’s bats finally woke up with a vengeance.
Freshman Travis Walker singled to left field and watched short stop Cody Breest blast the fifth pitch he saw over the left center field fence for a two run lead.
“I’m trying to split the ball, getting to the middle of the ball,” Sophomore Breest said. “We had to come in with intensity and keep pounding and just take hacks.”
Good use of words since the road leading to the stadium was called Hackberry.
Senior Forrest Koeppen and Joe Shone both singled leaving two man on base.
That is when the chink in Hidalgo’s armor started to weaken. Their pitcher threw a wild pitch giving Eric Nelson the courtesy runner for Koeppen an easy run from third base.
The Pirates catcher tried to throw out Shone advancing to third, but the ball went into the outfield scoring another run.
The four run inning put the Hawks in control going into the third inning.
After a lead off single for the Pirates the Hawks responded with a routine 6-4-3 double play to get Canyon Lake out of the inning.
The third inning started well for Canyon Lake as they produce two more runs when Wagliardo started with a walk followed by a double for Junior Zach Jenkins putting runners on second and third.
That chased the Pirate’s starter and Junior Daulton Winters greeted the pitcher with a sacrifice fly scoring Wagliardo.
Third baseman Walker got his second hit of the game driving in Jenkins for a Hawks and a 6-0 lead.
“Hitting is contagious,” third baseman Walker said. “I did not want to go to football yet, I want to keep playing for the seniors.”
The roller coaster ride was fun until the Pirates started to bat in the top of the fifth inning trailing 6-1.
The first five batters reached base and even when Breest struck out a batter, the runner still made it to first on a wild pitch.
It was a harrowing ride as the momentum Canyon Lake enjoyed quickly became a deficit on the scoreboard 7-6.
The Hawks could of said enough is enough and mailed it in, but that would not happen as they tied the score in their half of the inning.
Zach Jenkins got a walk and then moved to third on Winters single. Travis Walker got the run in on another sacrifice fly to tie the game and give the Hawk’s new life.
Hidalgo was on a 17 game winning streak (they did have a forfeited loss during the streak), but the idea is that when the Pirates were on the field, they usually won.
The roller coaster ride was easy up to this point.
Hidalgo started the top of the sixth inning with a solo home run from third baseman Flores his second home run of the game. Two hits later scored another run giving the Pirates 9-7 lead.
Make sure you are buckled in…..the Hawks answered that two runs and put a four spot on the scoreboard to take the lead back 11-9.
Shone tripled to start off the inning and then scored on a pitcher error allowing Riccio to reach first.
In fact, the first seven Canyon Lake players reached base in this inning.
Nabors and Wagliardo had singles, Winters got a double, Jenkins was hit by a pitch and Walker walked. (say that three times real fast)
The temperature was hot and the sun took it’s toll on Breest as he was relieved for the final inning.
“I challenged the kids to get one or two runs, because we still had two innings to play,” Coach Dunavant said. “This game was huge for our program.”
The victory was complete and the roller coaster ride had a lot of debris strung across the park as the Hawks would live to see another game.
WOW…..the game lasted 2 hours and 45 minutes and worth the extra drive to McAllen.
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Third Game: Hidalgo 6 Canyon Lake 4
Canyon Lake would start where they left off scoring two runs in the first inning, when Shone singled and raced to third on an error on the pitcher.
Riccio plated Shone on a fielders choice and then stole second and scored after another error this time the short stop.
The Pirates scored one run in the bottom of the first on a lead off home run.
Not a good way to start the game.
However, Nabors would settle down and pitch a solid game against a good hitting club.
Hidalgo tied it up in the second and then a pitching dual broke out as the teams were tied 2-2 going into the bottom of the fifth.
The Pirates scored two runs as they sent seven players to the plate, but the damage was not lethal.
Another two runs in the next inning for Hidalgo put the Pirates up 6-2 going into the final inning.
The Canyon Lake Hawks would not go away as they started the inning with a double off the bat of Jenkins.
Winters knocked in the run on a ground out reducing the lead to three runs.
Walker hit a towering home run in the trees in left center field to bring the Hawks to 6-4 and one out.
“Coach told me to take a strike and I got it to a full count,” Walker said. “I did not want to lose it for the Seniors.”
Breest lined out to the short stop which left just one out to end the inning and season.
Pinch hitter and Senior Logan Chappell worked a walk from the pitcher giving some hope.
“I just wanted to get the rally going,” Senior Chappell said. “I did not want to be the last out.”
Shone showed patience at the plate when he walked putting the leading run on base.
Riccio reached base on an error which loaded the bases.
Nabors who has the best batting average for the team came to bat, but was denied when the umpire called him out on an inside pitch.
“I want to tip my cap to Nabors,” Senior Chappell said. “He did not let us down.”
Forrest Koeppen caught every pitch in the grueling heat.
“We always leave ourselves with a chance to win,” Catcher Koeppen said. “I’m going to want a rub down when I get home.”
Cue the celebration for the Pirates who found themselves lucky to escape the upstart Hawks and will be in their memory bank to start the next odyssey for next year.
Congratulations…..and hold your head high, sometimes you get a nose bleed when you go as high as you did on the roller coaster.
“There is no easy way to lose,” Coach Dunavant finished. “Sometimes you win sometimes you lose.”
The trick is to go back again…..the fans will see you again next year!!!
