The Smyer Bobcats squared off against the Hale Center Owls in the Bi-District Round of the 2A Division 2 Baseball Playoffs this past Tuesday in Littlefield, resulting in the Bobcats sweeping them in a best-ofthree series to bring home a Gold Glove trophy.
In game one, Smyer beat Hale Center in dramatic fashion, 4-3. Hale Center scored two runs in the first inning; Smyer scored a run in the fourth inning and out- scored them 2-1 in the fifth inning. They were all knotted up, 3-3, in the bottom of the seventh inning before the Bobcats scored a run to earn the walk-off win.
In the team statistics, the Bobcats bested the Owls 7-4 in hits and 1-2 in errors committed, while the Owls bested them 6-2 in walks.
Smyer’s standouts at the plate in game one included Alex Mattox going 3/3 with a run-batted-in and a stolen base, Austin Martinez going 1/3 with an RBI and a stolen base, Skyler Pond going 2/2 with a run scored, a walk and a stolen base, and Colton Burriss going 1/3 with a run scored.
On the mound for the Bobcats in game one, Martinez got the start, pitching 3.2 innings and surrendering two earned runs on three hits and three walks while striking out six batters. Pond would enter in relief, pitching 1.1 innings and surrendering zero earned runs on a hit and a walk. He’d be followed by Burriss, who pitched two scoreless innings while striking out four batters.
In game two, Smyer dominated Hale Center, 10-5. The two teams were knotted up 3-3 after three innings before the Bobcats outscored them 6-2 in the final four frames.
In the team statistics, Smyer bested Hale Center 11-4 in hits, while the Owls bested them 11-7 in walks and 0-1 in errors committed.
The hero of game two was Colton Burriss, who went ¾ with five RBIs, two runs scored, two stolen bases and a home run at the plate and pitched 2.1 scoreless innings while striking out six batters, which Smyer Head Baseball Coach Jerry Lawrence re- flected on.
“Oh man, he’s a player and he competes hard. We changed up his role to a closer and that worked out well for us today,” Coach Lawrence said. “His home run was his first of the sea son and he’s been wanting one all year, so that was fun to see it at a great time.”
Along with Burriss, standouts at the plate in game two included Pond going 2/2 with four stolen base, three RBIs, two runs scored, two walks and a double, Martinez going 1/2 with two runs scored, two walks, an RBI and a stolen base, Ryann Gutierrez going 1/3 with two walks, a run scored and a double, Mattox going 2/4 with an RBI, a run scored and a triple, and Cash Pastusek going 2/4 with a run scored.
On the mound, Caleb Pearce got the start, pitching two innings and surrendering two earned runs on two hits and five walks while strik ing out two batters. Martinez would enter in relief and pitch two scoreless innings while striking out five bat ters. He’d be followed by Gutierrez, who recorded two outs while surrendering two earned runs on a hit and four walks while striking out two batters, and Burriss, who closed the game.
The pair of wins improves the Bobcats to 11-14 overall, also securing the Bi-District Championship and advancing them to the Area Round for the first time in many years, which Coach Lawrence addressed.
“Something we’ve been talking about all year long is building our confidence by doing and controlling what we can. They just stepped up big time, especially our seniors,” Coach Lawrence said. “They’ve been wanting a Gold Ball for a long time, and I’m just so ecstatic that they get the opportunity to hold one up.”
They’ll get another opportunity to do so against the Gruver Greyhounds in a best-of-three series in the Area Round.