NastySlot
06-04-2008, 10:24 AM
The legend of the “Medina Valley Miracle” already has taken on the form of a Greek epic, at least around the Bippert household.
Senior center fielder Clinton Bippert said he has told the story about “8,000 times” of how Medina Valley rallied from a seven-run deficit entering the seventh inning to beat Sinton 10-7 in eight innings Saturday.
Medina Valley swept Sinton and advanced to the Class 3A state tournament with the victory.
“I keep going back to what happened, and I know how we did it,” Bippert said. “But then I think, ‘How the heck did we do that?'”
The Panthers (36-2) will play Texarkana Pleasant Grove (24-8) in the state semifinals at noon Wednesday at UFCU Disch-Falk Field in Austin.
It's Medina Valley's third state tournament appearance. The Panthers were semifinalists in 1986 and lost to Hallettsville in the 1997 3A championship.
“After what happened on Saturday, it feels like we cannot lose a ballgame,” said Bippert, whose younger brother Brett is the Panthers' left fielder. Older brother Brandon was on the 1997 team. “We can face everybody now.”
With only one senior in the starting lineup and two on the roster, Medina Valley, the No.1-ranked Class 3A team in the state, started this season with an 18-game winning streak.
The Panthers swept Cuero, the state's No. 2-ranked team in the regional semifinals, then swept Sinton, the state's No. 3 team, in the regional final.
“I hope we don't recover from the Sinton series,” Medina Valley coach Carl Keller said. “I hope we maintain whatever we had in that series until (the state championship game) Thursday.”
Junior pitcher Michael Wacha (12-2) leads Pleasant Grove, which won its past three playoff rounds in one-game playoffs. Wacha has allowed one run in 25 innings pitched in the playoffs.
Keller said he's unsure of who will start Wednesday for the Panthers. No. 1 starter Zack Dodson (13-0) threw 119 pitches Thursday and 43 pitches Saturday to get the victory in both games of the Sinton series but may not be ready to go by noon Wednesday.
After what the Panthers pulled off Saturday, though, there's plenty of confidence entering the state tournament.
“We've all gotten that destiny feeling,” second baseman Cameron Payne said. “The way we won that game, you have to feel that fate's at work.”
UIL State baseball tournament
AT A GLANCE
When: Wednesday-Saturday
Where: UFCU Disch-Falk Field in Austin, and Dell Diamond in Round Rock
Tickets: Students, $5; adults, $10; all-tournament pass, $30
SCHEDULE
Class 5A: At Dell Diamond. Friday’s semifinals — Plano West (38-2) vs. Laredo United (32-7), 4.p.m.; Houston Bellaire (39-8) vs. Southlake Carroll (22-18), 7.p.m. Saturday’s championship — noon.
Class 4A: At Dell Diamond. Wednesday’s semifinals — Corpus Christi Calallen (40-1) vs. Friendswood (27-9), 4 p.m.; Waxahachie (31-8) vs. North Richland Hills Birdville (32-10), 7.p.m. Thursday’s championship — 6 p.m.
Class 3A: At Disch-Falk Field. Wednesday’s semifinals — Medina Valley (36-2) vs. Texarkana Pleasant Grove (24-8), noon; Snyder (33-6) vs. Hutto (27-7), 3 p.m. Thursday’s championship — noon.
Class 2A: At Dell Diamond. Wednesday’s semifinals — San Angelo Grape Creek (30-6) vs. Salado (30-6), 10 a.m.; Corsicana Mildred (30-6) vs. Buna (22-6), 1.p.m. Thursday’s championship — 2 p.m.
Class A: At Dell Diamond. Friday’s semifinals — Flatonia (24-5-1) vs. Seymour (17-12), 10.a.m.; Pineland West Sabine (26-7) vs. Bosqueville (19-6-1), 1.p.m. Saturday’s championship — 4 p.m.
lchan@express-news.net
Senior center fielder Clinton Bippert said he has told the story about “8,000 times” of how Medina Valley rallied from a seven-run deficit entering the seventh inning to beat Sinton 10-7 in eight innings Saturday.
Medina Valley swept Sinton and advanced to the Class 3A state tournament with the victory.
“I keep going back to what happened, and I know how we did it,” Bippert said. “But then I think, ‘How the heck did we do that?'”
The Panthers (36-2) will play Texarkana Pleasant Grove (24-8) in the state semifinals at noon Wednesday at UFCU Disch-Falk Field in Austin.
It's Medina Valley's third state tournament appearance. The Panthers were semifinalists in 1986 and lost to Hallettsville in the 1997 3A championship.
“After what happened on Saturday, it feels like we cannot lose a ballgame,” said Bippert, whose younger brother Brett is the Panthers' left fielder. Older brother Brandon was on the 1997 team. “We can face everybody now.”
With only one senior in the starting lineup and two on the roster, Medina Valley, the No.1-ranked Class 3A team in the state, started this season with an 18-game winning streak.
The Panthers swept Cuero, the state's No. 2-ranked team in the regional semifinals, then swept Sinton, the state's No. 3 team, in the regional final.
“I hope we don't recover from the Sinton series,” Medina Valley coach Carl Keller said. “I hope we maintain whatever we had in that series until (the state championship game) Thursday.”
Junior pitcher Michael Wacha (12-2) leads Pleasant Grove, which won its past three playoff rounds in one-game playoffs. Wacha has allowed one run in 25 innings pitched in the playoffs.
Keller said he's unsure of who will start Wednesday for the Panthers. No. 1 starter Zack Dodson (13-0) threw 119 pitches Thursday and 43 pitches Saturday to get the victory in both games of the Sinton series but may not be ready to go by noon Wednesday.
After what the Panthers pulled off Saturday, though, there's plenty of confidence entering the state tournament.
“We've all gotten that destiny feeling,” second baseman Cameron Payne said. “The way we won that game, you have to feel that fate's at work.”
UIL State baseball tournament
AT A GLANCE
When: Wednesday-Saturday
Where: UFCU Disch-Falk Field in Austin, and Dell Diamond in Round Rock
Tickets: Students, $5; adults, $10; all-tournament pass, $30
SCHEDULE
Class 5A: At Dell Diamond. Friday’s semifinals — Plano West (38-2) vs. Laredo United (32-7), 4.p.m.; Houston Bellaire (39-8) vs. Southlake Carroll (22-18), 7.p.m. Saturday’s championship — noon.
Class 4A: At Dell Diamond. Wednesday’s semifinals — Corpus Christi Calallen (40-1) vs. Friendswood (27-9), 4 p.m.; Waxahachie (31-8) vs. North Richland Hills Birdville (32-10), 7.p.m. Thursday’s championship — 6 p.m.
Class 3A: At Disch-Falk Field. Wednesday’s semifinals — Medina Valley (36-2) vs. Texarkana Pleasant Grove (24-8), noon; Snyder (33-6) vs. Hutto (27-7), 3 p.m. Thursday’s championship — noon.
Class 2A: At Dell Diamond. Wednesday’s semifinals — San Angelo Grape Creek (30-6) vs. Salado (30-6), 10 a.m.; Corsicana Mildred (30-6) vs. Buna (22-6), 1.p.m. Thursday’s championship — 2 p.m.
Class A: At Dell Diamond. Friday’s semifinals — Flatonia (24-5-1) vs. Seymour (17-12), 10.a.m.; Pineland West Sabine (26-7) vs. Bosqueville (19-6-1), 1.p.m. Saturday’s championship — 4 p.m.
lchan@express-news.net