Hawks JV lose Two to Marble Falls, 14-2 & 4-2

What a difference a game makes, as Canyon Lake improved their game by reducing Marble Falls JV

Freshman Rory Preiss starts season strong in Marble Falls

baseball team to 10 runs less for the second game of a doubleheader opening the Hawks Baseball season Monday night in the Falls.

That first game was over quick when the Mustangs scored in every inning in that first contest.

Problem? The Hawk pitching staff could not find the strike zone.

That resulted in way more base runners for Marble Falls and by adding an error here or there compounded the pounding, 14-2.

Case in point. That first inning had four strikes thrown by CL to six Mustang players and those four strikes resulted in three outs.

With one run scored, the Hawks might have a chance, but then two four spots and a final inning with five runs helped the ump to call the game and start over.

That is when this Hawk team played a different game in the field and from the mound and had Marble Falls escape with a two run win, 4-2.

“I’m optimistic,” Head JV Coach Brian Owens stated. “We are pretty hungry and they are green, but our defense was solid and we do better when we play small ball.”

Marble Falls is a classification larger than Canyon Lake and having more players also helps many times playing a smaller school.

Some nifty pitching and defense was prevalent in this affair which kept the game within striking distance throughout.

Rory Preiss and Jakob Merritt both combined by striking out 11 Mustangs while giving up just three hits.

Preiss had his nasty curve ball working that made the back door in the strike zone on several calls.

Preiss also made two diving catches in left field which helped keep the runs to a minimum for the MF’s.

“I knew had a chance (to catch those two balls),” Left Fielder Preiss pressed.

Jen Crownover sponsored this JV Baseball article. Running for Comal County Commissioner Precinct 4

Preiss had already made his mark on the pitching mound, “I wanted to hit my spots and hitting the outside edge and so I put it there.”

Preiss had played short stop in the first game and so now you have three positions played by this athlete and when asked which place he liked the most, then Preiss had his first error….”I like short-stop…..wait…I like pitcher,” Preiss booted that grounder question, but also quipped, “I will play anywhere.”

On what might happen this season, Preiss said, “We will do great, we have a lot of potential and if we work together and communicate, then we will do fine.”

Jakob Merritt came on for the last two innings and was hitting his spots as well in striking out four Mustangs and allowing two singles for his work.

The tale of two games where the home plate had kryptonite and acted like we were Superman pitching and trying to get that ball over in the strike zone.

“Austin (Brooks) is usually around the plate,” Coach Owens said. “He just did not have it tonight.”

The beauty and beast of baseball, you have it one night and the next outing you can’t find anything that works.

 Second Game       1  2  3  4  5  6  7   R  H  E
 Canyon Lake JV    0  0  1  0  1  0  0   2  4  4
 Marble Falls JV   0  1  2  0  0  1  x   4  3  3

 name               ab  r  h  bi bb so  misc
 Austin Brooks       2  1  0  0  2  0
 Mason Blackburn     4  0  1  1  0  1
 Rory Preiss         3  0  1  0  1  1
 Jonathan McGuire    4  0  0  0  0  0   roe
 Chase Holt          3  0  1  0  0  0
 Jakob Merritt       2  0  0  0  0  1   sac
 Dylan Hodges        1  0  0  0  2  1   sb
 Hayden Lee          3  0  0  0  0  2
 Gordon McCleary     3  1  1  0  0  0   sb
 totals             25  2  4  1  5  6

 pitching           ip  h  r  er bb so  np  W  L
 Rory Preiss         4  2  3  1  0  7   65  0  1
 Jakob Merritt       2  1  1  0  0  4   34  0  0
 balk: Preiss ; hb: Preiss (2)
 balls/strikes: Preiss 24/41 65; Merritt 9/25 34

==============================================

 First Game         1  2  3  4  5   R  H  E
 Canyon Lake JV     0  0  1  0  1   2  2  4
 Marble Falls JV    1  4  4  5  x  14  7  0

 name               ab  r  h bi bb so  misc
 Austin Brooks       2  0  0  1  0  0
 Mason Blackburn     2  0  0  0  0  0
 Rory Preiss         2  0  0  0  0  0
 Jonathan McGuire    2  0  0  0  0  0
 Tyler Kidd          2  0  0  0  0  0
 Gordon McCleary     2  1  1  0  0  0
 Jakob Merritt       0  1  0  0  2  0  sb
 Austin Brennan      2  0  1  0  0  0
 Isaiah Daily        2  0  0  1  0  1
 totals             16  2  2  2  2  1

 pitching           ip  h  r  er bb so  np  W  L
 Austin Brooks     1.1  2  5  4  4  0   47  0  1
 Chase Holt        1.2  2  4  1  4  2   41  0  0
 Gordon McCleary   1.0  2  5  0  2  1   47  0  0
 hb: Brooks (2)
 balls/strikes: Brooks 33/14 ; Holt 24/17; McCleary 23/24