Burnet wants to ensure one loss doesn’t lead to a streak
The Burnet High School baseball team lost to Taylor 10-2 on March 22.
Bulldogs head coach Russell Houston commended the Ducks’ pitching and their ability to capitalize on opportunities.
“They pitched really well,” he said. “And we made mistakes that really hurt us. They took full advantage of our mistakes.”
Houston said the Burnet miscues were “errors on defense and mental mistakes.”
“We didn’t make the right play when we needed to,” he said.
As a result, Taylor plated three runs in the first inning. Burnet responded with two runs of its own in the second, but the Ducks increased their lead to 5-2 in their half of the same inning. Taylor scored three more in the fourth and one in the fifth.
The coach agrees with those who say baseball is a thinking man’s game.
“You have to think ahead,” he said. “If the ball gets to me, what am I going to do with it? They put us into a couple of tough situations, and we didn’t make the routine plays. I would consider them routine. They put us into a couple of first and third situations. They did some things to us that put us in a bind.”
The other downside for Burnet was its inability to get a timely hit with runners on base.
“Had we gotten the timely hit, it would have changed the entire ball game,” Houston said.
The loss means the Bulldogs (6-5-1, 3-1 District 19-4A), the Ducks and Salado are tied for the lead in district play. The tie also illustrates the parity in the district and how talented teams generate runs, maximize their opportunities, and limit their own miscues.
“(Taylor) took advantage of situations, they really did,” Houston said. “And they pitched really well, which helps. (This loss) is one of those games we need to learn from and move on. We need to not let one loss lead to two or three.”
Burnet welcomes Lake Belton (2-2 in district) to Bulldog Diamonds on Friday, March 25. The junior varsity takes the field at 5 p.m. followed by the varsity.
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