LUBBOCK – For the second time in a week, the Iowa Park Hawks responded to being put in an elimination game by scoring double-digit runs in a single inning.
After dropping Game 2 of a Region I-4A semifinals series to Bushland, 5-1, the Hawks bounced back for a 13-7 victory in Game 3, keeping their quest for a state title alive. Iowa Park moves on to face either Godley or Denver City in the regional finals. Godley held a 1-0 series lead after a 9-6 win in Game 1 Friday.
The Hawks aren't in this situation if they didn't put together an 11-run second inning. The rally was eerily reminiscent of the 10-run first inning the Hawks had in Game 2 of their series with Abilene Wylie. That performance came on the heels of the Bulldogs putting Iowa Park on the brink of elimination with a Game 1 victory.
“No. 1 I think it's confidence. It's something they've done,” Iowa Park coach Michael Swenson said of his team's tendency to respond in dire situations. “Nothing is ever given and you have to play all 21 outs. Our mantra is whatever it takes to win two games. It doesn't matter how we do it.”
The Hawks were up 1-0 heading into the second. They sent 16 batters to the plate during the 11-run rally. It wasn't until Iowa Park had scored all 11 runs that Bushland recorded the first out of the frame.
The Hawks totaled six hits, five walks, one hit batter and took advantage of two Bushland errors in the second inning alone. Each Iowa Park batter in the lineup reached base at least once. Four got on twice.
“We relax and just play the game that we know,” Iowa Park senior catcher Justin Thornhill, who led off the second inning with a walk and later singled to load the bases. “We know that things are going to work out for us if we listen to what the coaches have taught us. We're 5-0 in elimination games now. It's pretty impressive.”
Twice the Hawks cleared the bases after loading them in the inning. The first time came when Chris Dickens belted a three-RBI double to center field, putting the Hawks up 8-0.
Iowa Park promptly reloaded the bases and sophomore first baseman Trent Green obligingly unloaded them. Green smacked a bases-clearing triple to center field and then scored when an errant throw went into the Bushland dugout, allowing him to advance home for a 12-0 lead.
“He threw the pitch right where I liked it,” said Green, who had six RBIs in the three-game series. “I just hit it and kept running. We come together as a team every time we're in this situation. We all have each other's backs.”
Bushland didn't go down without a fight. The Falcons responded with a six-run bottom of the second, cutting the deficit in half. The rally had an ominous ending, though.
Bushland catcher Colton Moore – highly considered the team's top player – had just belted a two-out double to the fence in left center, driving in Diego Saucedo and cutting the score to 12-6. As he slid into second base and called for time, the second-base umpire alleged Moore directed a curse word in his direction.
Bushland coach Randon Johnson strongly debated this fact with the umpire, delaying the game for at least 15 minutes. Moore's ejection seemed to deflate the Falcons, who managed just one more run for the remainder of the game.
“I never got an explanation of what it was that got him tossed,” Iowa Park coach Michael Swenson said. “That's unfortunate it happened for them, but you have to play the game the right way and the umpires decided he didn't do that.
“It's absolutely did not surprise me Bushland came back and rallied. That's what they do. The scouting report on them is they're a great hitting team. They absolutely mash the baseball. They spoil so many of your good pitches and force you to get in a fastball count.”
Senior Derek Hostas got the win on the mound, despite giving up seven earned runs on nine hits and two walks with six strikeouts over five innings of work. Kaleb Gafford pitched the final two innings, giving up no runs on a hit and walk with three strikeouts.
REGION I-4A SEMIFINALS
GAME 2
Bushland 5, Iowa Park 1
Iowa Park | 000 | 001 | 0 | — | 1 | 7 | 1 |
Bushland | 002 | 201 | x | — | 5 | 7 | 1 |
Battery: (IP) Braxton Briones and Justin Thornhill. (B) Skylar Jaco and Colton Moore. WP: Jaco. LP: Briones.
2B: (IP) Kaleb Gafford; (B) Logan Ellis. 3B: (IP) Derek Hostas.
Leading Hitters: (IP) Thornhill 2x2; Hostas 1x3, run; Chris Dickens 1x3, RBI; (B) Hunter Boydston 1x2, 3 runs; Moore 2x3, run, RBI; Hayden Martin 2x4, 2 RBI.
GAME 3
Iowa Park 13, Bushland 7
Iowa Park | 1(11)0 | 010 | 0 | — | 13 | 14 | 1 |
Bushland | xxx | xxx | x | — | 7 | 9 | 1 |
Battery: (IP) Derek Hostas, Kaleb Gifford and Justin Thornhill; (B) Martin, Elliott (2), Wise (2), Jaco (6) and Moore, Gatlin (2). WP: Hostas. LP: Martin.
2B: (IP) Chris Dickens, Gafford; (B) Boydston 2, Saucedo, Moore. 3B: (IP) Noah Diaz, Trent Green.
Leading Hitters: (IP) Kase Johnson 3x4, 2 runs; Braxton Briones 2x2, run, RBI; Derek Hostas 2x4, RBI; Trent Green 1x3, 2 runs, 3 RBI; (B) Boydston 3x4, 2 runs, 2 RBI; Saucedo 2x4, run, 3 RBI; Wise 1x2, RBI; Moore 1x2, RBI.
Records: Iowa Park (30-5); Bushland (31-7).