Photos courtesy of Cartershots
While a majority of students in Pampa ISD were on Spring Break, the Pampa Harvesters (9-7, 2-2) were still playing America’s pastime as District play continued for baseball. The Harvesters fell to the Hereford Whitefaces 6-0, knocked off Perryton 5-4 and then fell to Randall 7-4.
“We’re playing better baseball than we played during tournament season,” Head Coach Austin Samulowitz said. “We’re cleaning some things up and still need to get rid of the freebies. But we’re playing better and playing cleaner; we just need to clean up some little mistakes to win a couple of ball games.
“Offensively, we’re putting up some good numbers. (Seniors) Jack Dyer and Clayton Rogers hit a home run against Randall. We’re doing a lot of good things offensively; we just need to clean up some things.”
The Harvesters found themselves behind 4-1 early in the Perryton game on Tuesday with their lone run coming from an RBI single by Freshman Austin Hunt.
Favor started to turn the Harvesters’ way when Dyer hit a sac fly to plate Hunt. In the bottom of the six, with one out, Junior Cy LeBlanc hit an RBI single to right field to bring home Senior Conner Hall to bring the Harvesters within one run. The Harvesters tied that contest up when Hunt scored on a wild pitch during Freshman Phoenix Lopez’ at bat.
Botello hit the game-winning RBI double to bring home LeBlanc and give Pampa the 5-4 lead.
“Things weren’t going well (in the Perryton game) early. We got down 4-1. But we scratched and clawed our way back into it,” Samulowitz said.
“In the bottom of the 6th we scored some runs to give us the lead and then with two outs (Senior) Boston Botello came to bat and hit a go-ahead double to give us the lead.
“Then (Junior) Gage Gamblin came in and closed us out to beat Perryton. It was a nail-biter and another one-run district win for the Pampa Harvesters. It’s spot on to where we were last year.”
The Harvesters then took on Randall on Friday. The Harvesters jumped out to a 2-0 lead after a home run from Dyer brings home Lopez. Randall got those two runs back and then some, building a 5-2 lead before Botello hit an RBI double, scoring LeBlanc.
Rogers added a home run in the top of the sixth to keep the Harvesters alive, but it wasn’t enough as the Harvesters fell to the Raiders 7-4.
“I think we just show up. Being in this district for more than four years now, we just show up and play. We don’t really worry about who is across the diamond,” Samulowitz said.
“We are fully capable of beating any of those teams. We could’ve beat Randall, but they just made a few more of the plays to give them the lead. They had 11 hits, all singles, and played some small ball. But we are fully capable of beating them.”
Senior Tristan Bagwell may not have many plate appearances this season, he has been a big part of the Harvesters’ dugout, bringing energy and knowledge to the team that is invaluable.
Tristan Bagwell
“Tristan affects the game in a big way. He is a huge team player,” Samulowitz said. “He brings positive energy, a fun energy, and a light energy to the game. He knows the game of baseball. He helped us get an out in our first district game.
“A runner left the base and was early; Tristan picked it up and we got the throw to second to get the out. He brings a lot of good knowledge of baseball and good positivity that helps us out.”
Rogers has been a big part of the Harvesters’ offense in District play, hitting his first home run of the season while being efficient at the plate.
“Clayton’s hitting .600 in District right now,” Samulowitz said. “He hits in the middle of our lineup and left field for us. He’s another good baseball guy. We moved him positions earlier in the season, and he’s had a really good senior season.”
Clayton Rogers
The Harvesters return to action Tuesday when they host Dumas. Game time is at 5 p.m. at Harvester Field.
“Dumas is Dumas; they will beat you if you let them,” Samulowitz said. “But if we play good and we play like we’re supposed to, we should come out with a win. We just need to go out there and play a clean baseball game like we’re capable of, it should be a good game.
Stat Round-Up
At Hereford
Senior Greyson Paronto pitched five innings with five hits, five runs, two earned runs, four walks and three strikeouts; Junior Gage Gamblin pitched one inning with run scored and one strikeout.
Senior Boston Botello went 1-3 with a stolen base; Junior Jaime Soto went 1-3; Senior Clayton Rogers went 1-3 and Freshman Phoenix Lopez went 2-2.
Vs. Perryton
Soto pitched six innings with eight hits, four runs, four earned runs, three walks and eight strikeouts; Gamblin pitched one inning with one strikeout.
Lopez had a walk; Botello went 1-4 with an RBI and a double; Dyer went 2-3 with a run scored; Soto went 1-2 with a walk ; Rogers went 1-3 with a double; Senior Conner Hall had two runs scored, a stolen base and drew two walks; Hunt went 1-1 with an RBI, a walk and two runs scored; LeBlanc went 2-2 with a run scored and an RBI.
At Randall
Paronto pitched five innings with 11 hits, seven runs, five earned runs, two walks and two strikeouts; Gamblin went one inning with two hits and a strikeout.
Lopez had a run scored; Botello went 1-3 with an RBI and a double; Dyer went 1-2 with a run scored, two RBI and a home run; Rogers went 3-3 with a run scored, an RBI and a home run; LeBlanc went 1-3 with a a run scored.
Standings
West Plains 4-0 V. Canyon TUE and @ Borger FRI
Randall 3-1 @ Hereford TUE and @ Perryton FRI
Canyon 3-1 @ West Plains TUE and @ Pampa FRI
Hereford 3-1 v. Randall TUE and v. Dumas FRI
Pampa 2-2 v. Dumas TUE and v. Canyon FRI
Dumas 1-3 - @ Pampa TUE and @ Hereford FRI
Borger 0-4 - v. Perryton TUE and v. West Plains FRI
Perryton 0-4 @ Borger TUE and v Randall FRI