Lesson Learned: CL Green 17 Bulverde Red Sox 4
The Canyon Lake Green squad learned a valuable lesson from the first game of the final tournament. The game was a loss to Blanco 9-8. The loss also was only the second one of the season.
The lesson learned was don’t take any team for granted.
The result of the lesson learned gave a new focus and a knock out punch to end the season with a solid victory over the Red Sox.
The game on Sunday was during the middle of the day and a 94 degree heat. Canyon Lake started the game much like they played the previous game, with two errors and giving up three unearned runs in the top of the first.
The answer was a decisive four run first inning on just two hits and applying lots of pressure on the base paths.
This was the final game, before these same group of boys, will put on the Canyon Lake Hawks high school uniform in a few months in other sports.
The High School Coaches can feel pretty confident with the team coming up the ladder.
Leading the hit parade was several players. Tyler Vinson, Colton Avey both had three hits and Noah Ostrowski, Hayden Dubois, and Cody Powell finished with two hits a piece in the contest.
Avey, Dubois, and Powell also had multiple runs batted in for the Hawks. All but one of the players scored and all the players reached base at least once in the game.
“This was pretty much how most of our games were this year,” Head Coach Eddie Avey said. “They were aggressive on the base paths and were not afraid to take risks.”
Gordan McCleary finished the game on the mound, throwing only seven pitches and striking out one batter. McCleary also played infield and catcher in the game. When asked what position he likes to play the most?
“Pitcher and catcher,” McCleary stated. “Those two positions control the game….and the game is all in your hands.”
Noah Ostrowski was coming to bat when the game was called because of the time limit.
“I think they were scared I was going to hit it over the fence,” Ostrowski stated with a slight grin. “We were more relaxed in this game and wanted to keep the pressure on.”
The last inning for the Canyon Lake team had some high drama….if not for the score, but for the crowd promising incentives to the players.
One such incentive came from Craig Adams, when he yelled, “I will buy you a pizza if you hit a homerun.”
The next pitch to Colton Avey was sent to the power alley, 340 feet over the fence….Colton hit the home plate like it was a large Pepperoni Pizza from Parziale’s Pizzeria in the Hancock Plaza.
“I have been telling myself all year, that I wanted to hit a homerun,” Avey said. “The pitch was right down the middle of the plate and I hit it right on the sweet spot.”
“It was an awesome feeling,” Avey finished. The at bat would be his last as a little leaguer and the next time he comes to bat, he will be a freshman for the Hawks High School team.
The Canyon Lake Green team finished the season with a sparkling 16-2 record and many of the players will be playing sports on the High School level in three months.
Coach Avey, plays everyone and moves them around at several positions, giving the boys experience all over the field. This philosophy will only instill the confidence for the boys to be successful in many sports and in life.
Congratulations on a fine season….your future holds promise and many more accolades and lessons to be learned.
…………………1….2…..3….4…..5….R…..H…..E
Bulverde……3….1…..0….0….0…4…..3…..5
CL Green…..4….3…..2….4….4…17…14…..3
CL LOB-3; Bul-8. 2b-Avey (1), McCleary (1).
3b-Dubois (1). HR-Avey (1). HBP-McCleary (1),
Cahill (1). SB-Powell (2), Avey (1), Cahill (1),
Vinson (1). SF-Powell (1).
Pitching…………IP…..R….ER….H….BB…SO…..NP
Ostrowski……..1.2…..4…..1…..2…..3……1…….35
Powell…………..2.1….0…..0…..1…..1…….3…….40
McCleary……….1…….0…..0…..0…..0……1……..7
Winning Pitcher: Powell (1-0).
