Rockwall-Heath clobbered in first playoff final by Frisco Wakeland, 14-6
By J.J. Smith. The nation’s top-ranked high school baseball team didn’t look like it last night.
For only the second time this year, the Rockwall-Heath Hawks (39-2) were defeated – actually clobbered – by a revved-up Frisco Wakeland (39-10) squad, 14-6, in the first of their best-of-three-game series for the Class 4A Region II championship.
The game was played in front of a largely partisan Frisco crowd at Dr. Pepper Ballpark in Frisco.
Jumping on ace Hawks pitcher James Baune right away, Wakeland scored five runs in the top of the first inning behind Greg McCall’s two-run home run.
The Hawks came right back to score four runs in the bottom of the first after doubles by Jake Thompson and John Branum.
Frisco then added another run in the top of the second and third innings and led 7-5 after three innings.
Armando Villa walked, stole second and scored on a sacrifice fly by Jovan Hernandez to pick up a Hawk run in the third inning.
In the bottom of the fourth, the Hawks scored one more as Hernandez singled, making it his 40th game in a row that he’s had a hit. He’s now just two games away from tying the Texas UIL record of 42 games set by Jeff Granger.
In the top of the sixth, Baune gave up three more runs and reliever Caleb Copley threw a wild pitch, which scored one of them. Frisco’s lead was now 10-6.
In the top of the seventh innning, Wakeland had three more hits combined with two Hawk errors and scored four more runs, increasing their lead to 14-6.
The Hawks had one hit in their final at-bat but then three outs in a row to end a game they would probably just like to forget.
Frisco pounding Heath pitching for a total of 14 hits on the night. The most runs scored previously this year against normally excellent Heath pitching was seven.
The second game of the series will be played this Saturday at Dallas Baptist University, beginning at 5 pm. If necessary, the third game will follow immediately after.
The games will be broadcast on radio station 92.1 KXEZ-FM, owned by former Rockwall Mayor Ken Jones.
