HALLETTSVILLEòòò½ÊÓƵòòò½ÊÓƵ” Teams have every reason to pitch around Hallettsvilleòòò½ÊÓƵ™s Jorian Wilson.
But opponents of the Brahmas are learning pitching to Tanner Wagner is no easy task.
Wilson hit a two-run home run, and Wagner had a two-run triple after Wilson was intentionally walked to lead Hallettsville to a 4-1 District 25-3A win over Tidehaven on Tuesday night at Municipal Park Field.
òòò½ÊÓƵœWeòòò½ÊÓƵ™ve been hitting Tanner after Jorian,òòò½ÊÓƵ Hallettsville head coach Chad Gohlke said. òòò½ÊÓƵœHeòòò½ÊÓƵ™s such a threat. If teams want to walk Jorian, theyòòò½ÊÓƵ™ve got to face Tanner. He did exactly what he needed to do.òòò½ÊÓƵ
The Brahamas (16-3) rode the pitching of Wilson and Brock Bludau, along with clutch hits by Wilson and Wagner to finish the first half of district play at 7-0.
òòò½ÊÓƵœI think weòòò½ÊÓƵ™re going to finish off strong,òòò½ÊÓƵ said Wilson, a Texas A&M signee. òòò½ÊÓƵœWeòòò½ÊÓƵ™ve been together for a long time since we were little kids and we just want to put it together.òòò½ÊÓƵ
Wilson pitched four innings with eight strikeouts before Bludau pitched three scoreless innings with four strikeouts.
òòò½ÊÓƵœIòòò½ÊÓƵ™m really proud of the pitching,òòò½ÊÓƵ Gohlke said. òòò½ÊÓƵœYou canòòò½ÊÓƵ™t have enough good pitching. We just need to keep doing what weòòò½ÊÓƵ™re doing. It was good for us tonight.òòò½ÊÓƵ
The wind was blowing in, but it didnòòò½ÊÓƵ™t stop Wilson from driving a ball over the fence in right-field for a two-run home run in the first inning.
òòò½ÊÓƵœI was thinking simple, nice and easy,òòò½ÊÓƵ Wilson said. òòò½ÊÓƵœI was just trying to get on base.òòò½ÊÓƵ
The Tigers (10-6-1, 4-3) got a run back in the second on a single by Ashton Klaiber, one of their seven stolen bases, and an error.
òòò½ÊÓƵœWe tried to press the issue, we just left too many runners on base,òòò½ÊÓƵ Tidehaven head coach Eddie Russell said. òòò½ÊÓƵœWeòòò½ÊÓƵ™re aggressive, weòòò½ÊÓƵ™re going to take a chance against a good team. Weòòò½ÊÓƵ™re aggressive, thatòòò½ÊÓƵ™s our style and it almost worked, but it didnòòò½ÊÓƵ™t.òòò½ÊÓƵ
Hallettsville added two runs in third after Wagner had made a diving stop at second base on a ground ball in the top of the inning that likely would have scored two runs.
òòò½ÊÓƵœThe Wagner kid had the night to me,òòò½ÊÓƵ Russell said. òòò½ÊÓƵœJorian is Jorian, but the Wagner kid at second made a diving play, then we walked Jorian and he hit a triple over our heads and banged the wall.òòò½ÊÓƵ
The Brahmas had a runner at first with two outs when Wilson was walked intentionally.
Wagner followed with a blast over the center fielderòòò½ÊÓƵ™s head and off the wall to score two runs.
òòò½ÊÓƵœIt happened in Edna,òòò½ÊÓƵ said Wagner, who also hit a double. òòò½ÊÓƵœThey walked Jorian and the first pitch I hit a triple just like tonight. They are starting to learn that they just canòòò½ÊÓƵ™t walk Jorian, which is also going to help him get at-bats.òòò½ÊÓƵ
Tidehaven put two runners on in the sixth inning, but Bludau struck out two batters to end the threat, before pitching a perfect seventh.
òòò½ÊÓƵœFinishing out the second half is going to be a lot harder than this first half,òòò½ÊÓƵ Wagner said. òòò½ÊÓƵœWe have a target on our back now, but weòòò½ÊÓƵ™re hoping to keep things going after a big win like this.òòò½ÊÓƵ
District 25-3A
Hallettsville 4, Tidehaven 1
Tidehaven 010 000 0 òòò½ÊÓƵ”òòò½ÊÓƵ1 4 2
Hallettsville 202 000 0 òòò½ÊÓƵ”òòò½ÊÓƵ4 4 1
W: Jorian Wilson. L: Ritchie Garcia. S: Brock Bludau. Highlights: (T) Ashton Klaiber 2-for-3, 2B, R, SB; Jachen Duran 1-for-2, SB. (H) Wilson 4 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 8 SO, 1-for-2, 2-run HR; Bludau 3 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 SO; Tanner Wagner 2-for-3, 3B, 2B, 2 RBIs, SB; Preston Wagner 1-for-2. Records: Tidehaven 10-6-1, 4-3; Hallettsville 16-3, 7-0.
