2010 Hawk Baseball is 9th in the Decade Top 10 Teams
First-Baseman Travis Walker played as a Freshman on CL’s 2010 team.
TOP 10 DECADE TEAMS/EVENTS #9
Canyon Lake was in their second year when winning would be more plausible after a first year of many losses due to depth and not having any Seniors.
Way to plug Leaks Hawks!
Football-Volleyball-Girl’s Basketball and Baseball all enjoyed their 2nd campaign by qualifying for the Post-Season.
Baseball was the first group to actually go past that Bi-District round.
All 3 of those other sports were close in getting to that 2nd round but it was a resilient baseball team that swept Devine and just missed an opportunity to punch their ticket to the Area round, after losing to Hildago in that next round.
This group of players had accomplished two important items that has yet to be repeated for a Hawk baseball team.
1) Finished their season with a winning record.
2) Finished their district with a winning record.
To their credit, that first year of competition did show promise in that first go around. These Hawks finished with a 4-8 district record which was a mark that no other CL team would be able to match in that first year of big-time competition.
Way to Go Hawks!!
The main reason in starting above those other Hawk teams would come with a good pitching staff, a main cog, in producing a solid team for competing when the games get more serious.
The ReSporter has mentioned on many occasions that this sport has a ton of variables and if one of those ingredients falters in a contest, then that could have an impact in winning or losing. Pitching has to be the main variable that has a chance of minimizing mistakes on the field and giving a team a chance for wins.
This group of pitchers, Ross Wagliardo, Cody Breest, Jeff Nabors and Dalton Winters would be one of the major reasons for the success with this team.
Breest finished that year with 7 wins which is still the top mark and had a remarkable, 2.10 earned run average (era). Wagliardo was instrumental in that late season rush for CL and these two helped carry the Hawks past Devine and just missed beating Hildago.
Drew Riccio (.323) , Joe Shone (.320) and Jeff Nabors (.361) were three Hawks that had a banner season batting over the .300 threshold helping keep rallies alive in those wins down the stretch.
Way to Go Hawks!!
Defensively, Canyon Lake had a decent infield led by Short-Stop Christian Pena in the infield and some speed at outfield with Shone and Riccio.
That 2nd round of playoffs was one for the ages as the Hawks traveled to Falfurrias to meet up with Hildago. This opponent had just 3 losses and tons of hitting and proved it in winning that first battle, 7-2.
The game had another battle that was lethal with lightning delays that had the players getting off the field late and needing to rest up for an afternoon encounter that next day.
The weather changed the venue to the Valley with continued rain and with some help from the head Hawk trainer, Israel Pena, the Hawks would find themselves traveling further south needing a sweep of Hildago on that Saturday.
Canyon Lake had clutch hitting in that 2nd contest beating the Pirates, 11-9 and readied themselves for their 3rd battle that just came up short in losing, 6-4. CL’s third out had two Hawks in scoring position and with a hit a tied game and more baseball.
Unfortunately, a strikeout ended the game and series for a long trip home.
A perfect storm for a baseball crew that has The ReSporter’s #9 team for the Top 10 Decade Team.
Way to Go Hawks!!
