Scoop27
05-19-2016, 12:07 PM
From The Brazosport Facts
They have taken different routes to get there, but the Sweeny Bulldogs and Danbury Panthers find themselves in the third round of the UIL baseball playoffs.
The Bulldogs have gone three games in their bidistrict and area round series, topping Bay City (12-2, 5-6, 10-0) and Taylor (1-2, 10-0, 13-4).
Ranked No. 3 in the latest Texas High School Baseball Coaches Association poll, Sweeny (26-5) has relied on its seniors and its pitching depth to get through the first two rounds unscathed.
Shawn Kelley threw a no-hitter on 64 pitches in the Bulldogs’ Game 2 win over Taylor, and came back in Game 3 and threw four-plus innings, as he combined Caden Homniok and Kyle Schaefer to shut down the Ducks.
“We’ve got three No. 1s we can put out there, and then we’ve got kids on the bench who can go in and get us outs at any time,” Sweeny coach David Luster said. “We’ve had kids who haven’t had a chance to play yet that can get us outs if we need them to.”
Now the Bulldogs face a familiar foe in El Campo (24-6), a team they beat 5-0 earlier this season in tournament play.
Game 1 is at 4:30 p.m. today at Sweeny, with Game 2 at 7:30 p.m. Friday in El Campo. If a third game is needed, it will start at 11 a.m. and the location will be determined by the weather as to which field will be better suited for the contest.
Sweeny aims to complete a revenge plot against El Campo, as the Ricebirds knocked them out of the playoffs last year in the Class 4A Region IV quarterfinals.
“I know they’re going to put pressure on us and try to run the bases and make us make mistakes,” Luster said. “They put us out of the playoffs last year, so of course we’ve got a little rivalry with them. So our kids are looking forward to it and it should be a good challenge for us.”
With several seniors at key positions, Luster said the leadership of those players has been crucial to the Bulldogs’ postseason success.
“Our seniors have been huge and they have for sure carried us all year,” Luster said. “There have been times when we’ve been down in games and our seniors have been the ones to come in the dugout and get everybody on the same page and motivate. They’ve also been the ones on the field making plays when we need it.”
The winner of this series will take on the Robston-King winner in the Class 4A Region IV semifinals.
They have taken different routes to get there, but the Sweeny Bulldogs and Danbury Panthers find themselves in the third round of the UIL baseball playoffs.
The Bulldogs have gone three games in their bidistrict and area round series, topping Bay City (12-2, 5-6, 10-0) and Taylor (1-2, 10-0, 13-4).
Ranked No. 3 in the latest Texas High School Baseball Coaches Association poll, Sweeny (26-5) has relied on its seniors and its pitching depth to get through the first two rounds unscathed.
Shawn Kelley threw a no-hitter on 64 pitches in the Bulldogs’ Game 2 win over Taylor, and came back in Game 3 and threw four-plus innings, as he combined Caden Homniok and Kyle Schaefer to shut down the Ducks.
“We’ve got three No. 1s we can put out there, and then we’ve got kids on the bench who can go in and get us outs at any time,” Sweeny coach David Luster said. “We’ve had kids who haven’t had a chance to play yet that can get us outs if we need them to.”
Now the Bulldogs face a familiar foe in El Campo (24-6), a team they beat 5-0 earlier this season in tournament play.
Game 1 is at 4:30 p.m. today at Sweeny, with Game 2 at 7:30 p.m. Friday in El Campo. If a third game is needed, it will start at 11 a.m. and the location will be determined by the weather as to which field will be better suited for the contest.
Sweeny aims to complete a revenge plot against El Campo, as the Ricebirds knocked them out of the playoffs last year in the Class 4A Region IV quarterfinals.
“I know they’re going to put pressure on us and try to run the bases and make us make mistakes,” Luster said. “They put us out of the playoffs last year, so of course we’ve got a little rivalry with them. So our kids are looking forward to it and it should be a good challenge for us.”
With several seniors at key positions, Luster said the leadership of those players has been crucial to the Bulldogs’ postseason success.
“Our seniors have been huge and they have for sure carried us all year,” Luster said. “There have been times when we’ve been down in games and our seniors have been the ones to come in the dugout and get everybody on the same page and motivate. They’ve also been the ones on the field making plays when we need it.”
The winner of this series will take on the Robston-King winner in the Class 4A Region IV semifinals.