Scoop27
06-04-2016, 09:51 AM
From The Brazosport Facts
MUMFORD — Ryan Dunnahoo knew if he didn’t deliver a base hit in the top of the fourth inning Friday, Salado might not get another scoring opportunity the rest of the game.
Sweeny starting pitcher Shawn Kelley made a mistake by falling behind in the count 2-0, and Dunnahoo got what he was looking for with the third pitch — a fastball that he smashed to deep right field for a two-run double that gave Salado the lead for good.
The Eagles added two insurance runs in the seventh and capped their sweep of the Class 4A Region IV final series with a 4-1 victory over the third-ranked Bulldogs in Game 2.
The win punched Salado’s ticket to the UIL 4A state tournament, which begins Wednesday at Disch-Falk Field on the University of Texas campus in Austin.
For Dunnahoo, a senior set to graduate Saturday, the win felt like an early graduation present, especially since he plans to attend UT.
“Making it to the state tournament has been a life-long dream,” Dunnahoo said. “This is really unbelievable and neat. I automatically knew (Kelley) was going to throw a fastball right down the middle. He had to get ahead some way. I was just going to sit on it, and hit it where it was pitched. I thought it might’ve been gone off the bat, but I knew it was a hit.”
The double brought home Drew Dobbins and Garrett Lightfoot, who reached via a fielder’s choice and a walk, respectively.
“(Dunnahoo) was up 2-0 in that situation, and he put a great swing on it,” Salado coach Chad Krempin said. “He was on time and wasn’t late. That’s what you want to see in that situation with that count.”
Dunnahoo’s double gave the Eagles a 2-1 lead and provided all the run support needed for Dobbins, who pitched the first six innings, and reliever Cody Wolf. Dobbins (9-3) limited Sweeny to two hits despite control issues. He walked seven Bulldogs and hit two more, but executed pitches when it was a must.
Dobbins stranded eight base runners, including maneuvering out of a bases-loaded, two-out jam in the sixth. Sweeny’s lone run came in the third on a wild pitch.
“We didn’t capitalize when we needed to,” Sweeny coach David Luster said. “We needed to get hits when we had runners in scoring position. It’s heartbreaking to lose this one, very heartbreaking.”
Dobbins stuck to his own tempo on the mound, even when Sweeny (30-8) was repeatedly one hit away from a big inning, and that’s a big reason why he kept the Bulldogs’ bats at bay. Salado’s defense had a hand in things as well, with its second straight errorless game.
“(Dobbins) was resilient and determined,” Krempin said. “He had a belief in himself and what we were trying to do. He executed the game plan, which was changeups to get them on their front foot. He did a good job of it even though he got into trouble a couple of times. He wasn’t going to give in. He executed enough.”
Salado (29-11) provided Wolf some cushion in the top of the seventh by recording three straight hits with two outs. Eight-hole batter Ryan Oakes began the rally by singling to center. After Oakes stole second and sprinted to third on a wild pitch, Phillip Ellis beat out an infield hit for an RBI. Chase Basham drove in the final run with a single to left.
“I knew I had to put something on the ground,” Ellis said. “Most of the time when I put it on the ground, I get on. I have speed. That’s why Coach has me in the lineup. I never thought I’d have the chance, honestly. Coach gave me the chance to play this year, and I’m loving every moment of it.”
Wolf shut the door in a hitless bottom of the seventh. He walked Jacob Mathis with one out, but got a ground out and a pop up to end it.
“That was huge,” Krempin said of the two insurance runs in the seventh. “That gave us a chance to take a deep breath. Those last three outs can seem like 30 outs sometimes. Drew threw a lot of pitches, so that’s why I went to Cody. I knew the situation wouldn’t faze (Wolf).”
The various trying situations didn’t faze any of the Eagles, and now they’re two wins away from hoisting a state championship trophy.
MUMFORD — Ryan Dunnahoo knew if he didn’t deliver a base hit in the top of the fourth inning Friday, Salado might not get another scoring opportunity the rest of the game.
Sweeny starting pitcher Shawn Kelley made a mistake by falling behind in the count 2-0, and Dunnahoo got what he was looking for with the third pitch — a fastball that he smashed to deep right field for a two-run double that gave Salado the lead for good.
The Eagles added two insurance runs in the seventh and capped their sweep of the Class 4A Region IV final series with a 4-1 victory over the third-ranked Bulldogs in Game 2.
The win punched Salado’s ticket to the UIL 4A state tournament, which begins Wednesday at Disch-Falk Field on the University of Texas campus in Austin.
For Dunnahoo, a senior set to graduate Saturday, the win felt like an early graduation present, especially since he plans to attend UT.
“Making it to the state tournament has been a life-long dream,” Dunnahoo said. “This is really unbelievable and neat. I automatically knew (Kelley) was going to throw a fastball right down the middle. He had to get ahead some way. I was just going to sit on it, and hit it where it was pitched. I thought it might’ve been gone off the bat, but I knew it was a hit.”
The double brought home Drew Dobbins and Garrett Lightfoot, who reached via a fielder’s choice and a walk, respectively.
“(Dunnahoo) was up 2-0 in that situation, and he put a great swing on it,” Salado coach Chad Krempin said. “He was on time and wasn’t late. That’s what you want to see in that situation with that count.”
Dunnahoo’s double gave the Eagles a 2-1 lead and provided all the run support needed for Dobbins, who pitched the first six innings, and reliever Cody Wolf. Dobbins (9-3) limited Sweeny to two hits despite control issues. He walked seven Bulldogs and hit two more, but executed pitches when it was a must.
Dobbins stranded eight base runners, including maneuvering out of a bases-loaded, two-out jam in the sixth. Sweeny’s lone run came in the third on a wild pitch.
“We didn’t capitalize when we needed to,” Sweeny coach David Luster said. “We needed to get hits when we had runners in scoring position. It’s heartbreaking to lose this one, very heartbreaking.”
Dobbins stuck to his own tempo on the mound, even when Sweeny (30-8) was repeatedly one hit away from a big inning, and that’s a big reason why he kept the Bulldogs’ bats at bay. Salado’s defense had a hand in things as well, with its second straight errorless game.
“(Dobbins) was resilient and determined,” Krempin said. “He had a belief in himself and what we were trying to do. He executed the game plan, which was changeups to get them on their front foot. He did a good job of it even though he got into trouble a couple of times. He wasn’t going to give in. He executed enough.”
Salado (29-11) provided Wolf some cushion in the top of the seventh by recording three straight hits with two outs. Eight-hole batter Ryan Oakes began the rally by singling to center. After Oakes stole second and sprinted to third on a wild pitch, Phillip Ellis beat out an infield hit for an RBI. Chase Basham drove in the final run with a single to left.
“I knew I had to put something on the ground,” Ellis said. “Most of the time when I put it on the ground, I get on. I have speed. That’s why Coach has me in the lineup. I never thought I’d have the chance, honestly. Coach gave me the chance to play this year, and I’m loving every moment of it.”
Wolf shut the door in a hitless bottom of the seventh. He walked Jacob Mathis with one out, but got a ground out and a pop up to end it.
“That was huge,” Krempin said of the two insurance runs in the seventh. “That gave us a chance to take a deep breath. Those last three outs can seem like 30 outs sometimes. Drew threw a lot of pitches, so that’s why I went to Cody. I knew the situation wouldn’t faze (Wolf).”
The various trying situations didn’t faze any of the Eagles, and now they’re two wins away from hoisting a state championship trophy.