D’Hanis captures the 1A State Championship

D’Hanis v Nazareth

If you are playing today, your season has been a success no matter what the outcome. Neither the Cowboys nor the Swifts were stranger to the stage. Nazareth making consecutive trips to Round Rock. D’Hanis won the 2019 Title so the scenario was still fresh. It was hot, it was humid, but it was also a new day to crown a State Champion.

The Home Team Swift would start Carson Heiman ((4-0) while the Cowboys would start Ryan Hendry (6-0). Ethan Reyes would receive pitches for the Cowboys while Luke Schulte would assume duties behind the plate for Nazareth. Carson Heiman was extremely efficient to start the game for the Swifts. It went 3 up 3 down on 3 fly balls that were easily handled by the defense. In contrasting pitching styles, D’Hanis pitcher Ryan Hendry threw about as close to a submariner as one can get. It was effective to the first batter as he recorded a strikeout. Carson Heiman would earn the first hit of the day with a single to left. Trent Gerber would follow with a single to center. But a rare unassisted double play by the left fielder would end any threat.

With one out in the top of the second, Will Schawe would earn the first Cowboy hit of the day with a single to right. Doelyn Gonzales would match him on the next at bat with a single up the middle. A pop out foul to third puts two outs on the board and a pop out foul on the first base side ends the inning. The Cowboys wouldn’t stay on the field long as two strikeouts and a pop out fowl put them back in the dugout.

In the top of the 3^rd, nine-hole hitter Eusebio Tapia started the inning with a double over the center fielder’s head. Luke Langfeld was then hit by a pitch. Heimann would get two flyouts before an error at third loaded the bases. Not giving in to the pressure of bases loaded, Heimann would strike out the next batter to end the inning. Nazareth would go down in order on a groundball to second, a strikeout and a flyout to center.

The scoring would start in the 4^th for the Cowboys. A single with one out by JJ Garcia would start things off. Raine Rendon walked, and Eusebio Garcia walked to load the bases. Heimann would get another pop out to shortstop Trent Gerber for out number two but walk the next batter, Layton Herrman for the first run of the game. Heimann would trust his stuff and throw a big hook for a strikeout looking to end the Cowboys half of the inning. Nazareth threatened getting a runner to third with 2 outs but couldn’t get the run across the plate.

Ryan Hendry would lead off with a double in the top of the Cowboy 5^th. He advanced to third on a wild pitch. Will Schawe would walk forcing a pitching change. Trent Gerber would come to the mound. He would get an easy first out as Schawe tried to steal and was thrown out by Gerber at second. Yesterday’s player of the game, Daelyn Gonzales would single and score Hendry from 3^rd. Gerber would then walk JJ Garcia to put runners at first and second. Redden would single and score Gonzales. Eusebio Tapia would hit a slow roller to second. It wasn’t hit hard enough for the Swifts to turn two and JJ Garcia would score for the Cowboys. Luke Schulte would take the mound for Nazareth. A ground ball to shortstop ends the inning.

With one out in the 5^th, Braden Bullard would take one for the team and get first but gunned down by Cowboy catcher Ethan Reyes on the next pitch. A lazy fly ball to right ends the inning.

The Cowboys would go down quietly in the top of the 6^th on two groundballs and a strikeout. The Swifts would do the same on a groundout and two pop flies. The top of the 7^th wasn’t much different for the Cowboys as the inning went strikeout, walk, flyout, ground out. The Swifts would be down to their last 3 outs. Despite a hit by pitch to leadoff the bottom of the 7^th, Nazareth couldn’t score a run. The D’Hanis Cowboys would be your 2022 1A State Champions.

WP – Hendry
LP – Heimann

Player of the Game: Ryan Hendry