IOWA PARK – Class 4A’s two-time defending state champions have rallied from a one-game series deficit and been down to their last out already this postseason.
So when Iowa Park took a one-run lead in the bottom of the fifth Friday night in Game 1 of the regional quarterfinals, it wasn’t the first time Abilene Wylie had faced adversity this postseason.
The Bulldogs’ Tyler Spears delivered a tying single in the sixth and then came through with the game-winning hit in the eighth as Wylie pulled off a 4-2 victory in front of the boisterous Hawk faithful.
The Region I-4A quarterfinal series resumes at 1 p.m. Saturday at Wylie’s home field with Iowa Park needing two victories to prolong its season.
“I have no doubt they’ll bounce back. They just played a little bit better tonight,” Hawks coach Michael Swenson said. “The one extra hit they needed, we didn’t get it. That’s the way the game goes sometimes.”
A pitcher’s duel between Wylie’s Blake Smith and the Hawks’ Chris Dickens tilted in the home team’s direction when Kaden Ashlock executed a beautiful squeeze and Kase Johnson delivered an RBI single for a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the fifth.
An error on a tough fly ball to left field allowed Wylie leadoff hitter Gatlin Martin to reach firs base. He came around to score when Spears took a Dickens pitch the opposite direction for a two-strike, two-out double.
With Dickens at 103 pitches, Swenson turned to Game 2 starter Derek Hostas in the seventh. He pitched a clean inning, but the Hawks didn’t threaten, forcing extra innings.
Spears struck again with two outs against Hostas with a line drive up the middle scoring Martin. Wylie scored another run on a passed ball and the damage has been done.
“Tyler is a good hitter and not only that, a very patient and disciplined hitter. I thought he did a good job on both those at-bats and found a way to get the ball in,” Wylie coach Clay Martin said. “He hit another ball really hard earlier in the game right at a fielder and that helped with a lot of confidence.”
Kaleb Gifford got the Hawks out of the jam without further damage, but not before Hostas threw 30 pitches, meaning he’ll be limited to 80 in Saturday’s Game 2.
Meanwhile, Smith retired the Hawks in order, finishing the complete game with only 93 pitches. Smith allowed five hits, striking out four and walking only one.
“To go the complete game and still have pitches left says a lot about him,” coach Martin said. “Blake’s done that all year long. That’s where he lives – keeping the ball in the strike zone. That’s what you like every pitcher to do.”
Dickens fanned 10 batters in six innings and both of his runs were unearned. Wylie took a 1-0 lead in the fifth on Balen Valentine’s two-out RBI single that came after an errant pickoff throw.
“When you get deeper into the playoffs, it’s all about wo gets the two-out RBI hit,” Swenson said. “Unfortunately for us, they’re the ones who got it tonight. And we had a couple miscues we typically don’t have.”
Wylie will start Kanon Doby for Game 2 with Clay Martin promising his Bulldogs will keep Friday’s Game 1 win in perspective. Two weeks ago after Graham had edged Wylie at home in Game 1, the Bulldogs had needed to win twice at home to keep their title defense alive.
Now the Hawks will be looking to replicate that at Wylie’s home field. With Hostas (7-2) restricted in how many pitches he can throw, Iowa Park will need multiple strong outings to survive.
“He’ll get out there and use his up and we’ll go to the next guy,” Swenson said of Hostas. “It’s not like we’re short on arms. I have no doubt they’ll bounce back. They just played a little bit better tonight.”
REGION I-4A
Game 1
Abilene Wylie 4, Iowa Park 2 (8)
Wylie | 000 | 011 | 02 | — | 4 | 5 | 1 |
Iowa Park | 000 | 020 | 00 | — | 2 | 5 | 2 |
Battery: (AW) Blake Smith and Caleb Munton; (IP) Chris Dickens, Derek Hostas (7), Kaleb Gifford (8) and Justin Thornhill. WP: Smith. LP: Hostas (7-2).
2B: (AW) Tyler Spears.
Leading Hitters: (AW) Tyler Spears 2x4, 2 RBI; Balin Valentine 1x2, RBI; (IP) Kase Johnson 2x4, RBI; Kaden Ashlock 1x2, RBI; Trent Green 1x3, run.