Hawks Need just One Run for Win over Bandera, 1-0

        Tanner Sellers and Kyle Doerfler take in a satisfying win over Bandera, 1-0.

Canyon Lake had a dramatic win and put a firm grip on making the playoffs for the first time since the 2010 season, after a pitching dual that had CL beating Bandera, 1-0.

           Proud of the Hawks!!

“Avery (Montgomery) pitched another gem,” Head Coach Victor Escamilla stated. “We need to get him some runs so he doesn’t have to be perfect…..Proud of our defense as well.”

Avery Montgomery was on the mound and pitched another strike fest of a game in having just 59 pitches for this 7 inning affair that averaged out between 8 to 9 pitches per inning.

Montgomery started his stint on the mound with a walk to the Bulldog’s lead off hitter that was promptly sacrificed to 2nd base. Two ground outs could only advance that runner to 3rd base where he died on the pond.

Take notice that Montgomery threw 13 pitches in that maiden inning which would be the most for the rest of this contest. There was a close call in the 6th inning where Montgomery had 12 pitches in that frame. Ten of those throws were for strikes.

In that 2nd inning, Montgomery started the 2nd inning with a one pitch, hit batter, who was sacrificed to 2nd base again, but a strike-out and fly ball out to left field would be the extent of damage by Bandera. There would not be another Bulldog runner to advance past first base the rest of the night.

Montgomery had pitched 10 balls in those first two innings and in his next 5 innings, there would be just 6 more balls outside the strike zone.

Canyon Lake was not a hitting machine either as both clubs had 2 hits a piece for this evening. The difference was having the Hawks making their last hit count.

Canyon Lake, with this win, will now be in a position where they can finish 3rd in District 28-4A with a win over Hondo when they come to the Hawk Nest. Another win over Bandera would weight that chance for the Hawks, in getting a better seed.

Defense was mentioned by Coach Escamilla and a no error game came at the right time was a good omen. An error in this contest, that was controlled by the pitchers, does not need an extra base runner that had not earned the right to be on base.

CL’s defense had 12 ground outs with one of those outs being a double play ball. Three fly outs and 4 line outs that had no errors and another clean game helping this one run win.

              Way to Go Hawks!!

Speaking of errors, Bandera would not be able to escape that curse after a Bulldog’s short-stop error off the bat of Tanner Sellers would give Canyon Lake a chance for that unearned run.

A stolen base would put CL’s first player in scoring position since the 4th inning, when CJ Parrish would strike out giving the Hawks one more chance to make the Bulldogs pay.

Kyle Doerfler would be called upon to pinch hit and was down quickly after two straight strikes and now needing to protect the plate. Two pitches later, Doerfler would plate Sellers with a hit between 1st and 2nd base that would be an insurmountable lead, 1-0.

“I was pretty amped up and wanted to come through for my team who had put in a ton of work,” Doerfler exclaimed. “But I made sure to keep calm and just play like I know how.”

Still not over, as Montgomery would get a chance for his second consecutive win over Bandera. That next 3 outs would take 7 pitches by this masterful pitcher.

An infield ground out to start the inning and a one pitch fly out to centerfield that had the Bulldogs with one more chance to stage a come back. A 3 pitch line-out was next on the docket as CL, now being in a position not seen in a while,

               Way to Go Hawks!!

Canyon Lake will be on the road next against Wimberley as they will now start their last round of contests with each District 28-4A school next week in Boerne. The Hawk’s magic number is 2 going into the final round of games.

Any combination of wins for CL or losses for Bandera that adds up to 2 will put Canyon Lake on the phone ordering T-Shirts!!

Go Hawks!!

              1  2  3  4  5  6  7   R  H  E
 Canyon Lake  0  0  0  0  0  0  1   1  2  0  
 Bandera      0  0  0  0  0  0  0   0  2  1

                    ab  r  h bi bb so  misc
 Caleb Williams      3  0  0  0  0  1
 Mason Lee           3  0  0  0  0  2
 Drew Tyra           3  0  0  0  0  0
 Brandon Robinson    2  0  1  0  1  1  sb
 Avery Montgomery    3  0  0  0  0  1
 Tanner Sellers      3  1  0  0  0  1  roe sb
 CJ Parrish          2  0  0  0  0  1  sb
 Matt Anderson       2  0  0  0  0  0
  Peyton McMullen    0  0  0  0  0  0
  ph Kyle Doerfler   1  0  1  1  0  0
 Lee Stafford        2  0  0  0  0  2
  CR Ethan Slater    0  0  0  0  0  0
 totals             24  1  2  1  1  9

 pitching           ip  h  r er bb so   W  L
 Avery Montgomery  7.0  2  0  0  1  2   1  0

 pitches-strikes: 59-43