Hawk Baseball Pre/Season & District Capsule
Canyon Lake Baseball, hopes to avoid injuries and other hurdles with the new season approaching next week as the Hawks opened their season with a scrimmage against Llano last Tuesday.
Senior Nick Cahill will hope for a repeat of last years offense numbers
“We played at times looking like it was our first scrimmage,” Head Baseball Coach Trent Dunavant assessed that game.
With this new year of play it will also usher in a district that certainly will be an upgrade from last year’s district.
Granted that statement is based on last year so there will always be teams that might not reach their potential and some teams that will gel and knock your socks off.
Canyon Lake was a team last year that did not reach their potential.
The Hawks entered their campaign last season with more returning starters than they have had since their second year of play when CL was in their second year of competition.
That 2009 team did have some decent pitching and this year’s club hopes they too can match that same ingredient again as there are several starters returning.
Senior, Cody Powell, will be entering his third year on the mound as the southpaw will hope to improve on his district play of 2.98 era from last season.
Another senior, Nick Kissell was also a mainstay on the mound last year as he posted a 3.01 era from his district competition.
Canyon Lake will have Tanner McGill pitching after his first year of playing as a Sophomore ending a sparkling season with a 3.98 era.
Those are some impressive numbers for a Hawk team that usually will rely on 3 to 5 pitchers during the rigors of district play.
Another Senior, Corey Shedrock also had some good stints on the mound last season as he was primarily used as that pitcher that could relieve a starter that had run into trouble and bridge the game into the later innings.
“The pitchers were strong but not consistent,” Coach Dunavant said after responding to how the pitching staff performed in their first scrimmage last Tuesday. “They will mentally adjust and we will try to give them enough innings to get their mechanics dialed in.”
“Pitchers will many times think they are the only person that can get an out and don’t realize they have to throw more pitches to strike out a batter rather than pitching to contact to let his fielders help him get out of an inning,” Sage Dunavant imparted wisdom.
Canyon Lake will have to replace the middle part of their defense after losing catcher, second base, short stop and center fielder from last season.
An old adage for baseball is a team’s strength will usually start based on how that part of a team can perform.
“Someone will need to come in and fill that void,” Coach Dunavant said defensively. “Shedrock, Powell, and Cahill look good right now.”
Coach Dunavant was commenting on moving Shedrock to the Catcher’s position and having Cahill and Powell holding down the outfield.
The good news is that Garrett Winters will bring some super glue for the Hawks for the infield as this fielder will rank as one of Canyon Lake’s best in the infield in their short history.
Winters has played all the positions in that infield except first base as his glove and arm are almost automatic.
Nick Cahill will be another player that hopes to continue a strong season that he enjoyed as a Junior.
Nick Cahill 2014 ab r h bi 2b 3b hr bb so sb hbp ave District Season 47 9 18 16 2 0 3 5 14 3 0 .419 Regular Season 67 17 24 22 3 0 4 11 19 5 0 .358 Career 107 23 34 22 5 0 4 15 26 5 0 .318
Those numbers place Cahill in a tie for third place for a batting average with Drew Riccio
and needing to pass Ross Wagliardo (.333) and Michael Brady (.418) to reach the top of that chart.
This Year's District 26-4A Baseball teams, record and returning players
Records
Team Season District Finish
Gonzales 5-18 0-10
4 returning starters OF/Pitcher, OF, OF, and SS
Cuero 22-14 7-3 Regional Quarterfinalist
4 returning starters catcher, 2 OF, SS/Pitcher 5-3 3.22 Newcomer of year
Yoakum 18-11 8-4 Regional Semifinalist
6 returning starters catcher, Inf/P, OF, OF-Catcher-Pitcher, Inf, OF
CL Hawks 8-17 6-9
8 returning starters: Powell, Cahill, Shedrock, Winters, McGill,
Vinson, Kissell, Avey
District ab r h bi 2b 3b hr bb so ave
4 Seniors 151 26 37 27 6 1 0 19 32 .245
5 Returners 208 50 64 35 10 2 3 23 46 .308
Wimberley 18-12 10-5 Bi-District Finalist
9 returning starters 4 inf, 3 OF, Catcher, Pitcher
Navarro 12-16 6-9 Bi-District Finalist
6 returning starters C/P, 2b/ss, OF, ss/P, 1b, 3b
La Vernia 26-8 8-0 Regional Semifinalist
8 returning starters 1b/P, Catcher, OF, OF/P, OF, C/DH, Pitcher, SS/P
