Hawk Baseball’s Field of Dreams Starts February 8th

Caleb Williams will be one of several Seniors looking to make statement this baseball season. [Photo Credit: Mark Robinson / MJR Photography / www.mjrphotog.com]

Hawk Baseball will be commencing in February and this team should be well stocked after losing just one player to graduation . That has left a slew of players ready to compete for a chance to show what they are capable of doing as depth will be on display early and often.

Signature Homes says, Go Hawks!

CL has all their pitchers returning and four of those athletes pitched 31 or more innings with two seniors a junior and sophomore ready for action. Canyon Lake lowered their era to 3.75 which compares favorably to that ’18 team’s 5.41 earned run average.

Add to this group a Freshman class that finished #1 with a group of Middle Schools that feed those 6A Baseball Teams in Comal County. Granted, as freshman, many of these players will need to catch up to a high school fastball but the Hawks had freshman players last season that did perform well.

Last year’s Junior Varsity also enjoyed a full compliment of players that will leave this year’s players looking at one open spot with that 1 senior vacancy.

This type of formula lends the players that were starters last season knowing that no place is safe with a multitude of students ready to fill or pry open a deserving spot on this year’s team.

“I like to tell our guys that every position is open,” Head Baseball Coach Victor Escamilla stated. “Our loyalty is to the team first! I asked the players to make us (coaching staff) play you. Spots are always up for grabs so if you stay hot then you are in the line-up.”

Coach Escamilla continued, “We did hav an improvement in our stats. We must continue to work hard and find ways to get better. I think these guys have something to prove this year.”

                 Let’s Go Hawks!!

Canyon Lake made some great strides last season after having to manufacture runs two years ago, last year’s team raised their team batting average to a respectable, .269….the 2018 team had a team average of .215 a difference, .054 which can result with more players on base and scoring more runs.

There were just 4 players on that 2018 club that had a better than .250 batting average. Senior Brandon Robinson (.314) finished as the only player above a .300 average.

This past season, CL had 5 players top that mark, Robinson (.413), Tyler Pauly (.377), Caleb Williams (.370), James LaLonde (.325), and Mason Lee (.304).

But there is a huge gap below those 5 players as the next best batting average was .229 and then the rest were under the .200 mark.

Robinson’s .413 average tied for the best in Hawk history when Michael Brady was doing damage for CL as a hitter and catcher during his time as a Hawk.

                        TOP 10 ALL-TIME CL BATTING AVERAGE CAREER (more than 1 year)
                     1) Brandon Robinson     .373
                     2) Michael Brady        .364
                     3) Nick Cahill          .354
                     4) Rory Preiss          .349
                     5) Ross Wagliardo       .338
                     6) Zach Jenkins         .336
                     7) Corey Shedrock       .320
                     8) Drew Riccio          .317
                     9) Jeff Nabors          .316
                    10) Joe Shone            .302

There is one exception to those set of numbers by another Senior Matt Anderson who has a way of getting on base that is not always with the bat meeting the ball.

During the past two season’s Anderson has walked 36 times and will certainly challenge as the all-time walk leader with anything resembling what he has accomplished this season.

                        TOP 5 HAWKS in BASE ON BALLS
                     1) Michael Brady          48
                     2) Travis Walker          39
                     3) Matt Anderson          37
                     4) Daulton Winters        37
                     5) Caleb Williams         32

In looking at the list above bout base on balls, notice Caleb Williams who was the lead-off batter last season and had his best year with an average of .370 that included 7 extra base hits and on base percentage at .457 that was helped with 12 base on balls.

                Let’s Go Hawks!!

Williams will go into this year standing in 3rd place in the following categories on that CL Hawks All-Time List.

At Bats: 208 64 at bats away from taking the lead. *Travis Walker (272) & Cody Powell (208)
Runs: 39 26 runs to be listed 1st. *Travis Walker (65) & Garrett Winters (52)
Hits: 58 22 hits to be listed 1st. *Travis Walker (80) & Michael Brady (67)

Another Hawk that will be someone to watch was a newbie transfer last season that is presently playing basketball is Tyler Pauly.

Pauly has a chance of being CL’s best 3-sport athlete if he continues on his present pace….started this school year as a starter in the Hawk’s secondary in football and jumped from that sport to basketball and has been a major contributor on the hard-wood.

Guess what: Pauly’s favorite sport is baseball and as a Sophomore last year was a standout batting .377 while pitching and already showing that he might be CL’s best 2nd baseman.

There is a lot of reasons to be excited to see what might be in store for the Canyon Lake faithful as the curtain is drawn in February when Baseball takes to their field of dreams.

Pitching, Batting, and Fielding will be on display before you know it with the Hawks first scrimmage on February 8th in a scrimmage with Cuero.

Come out and support Canyon Lake and Go Hawks!!