Burnet baseball earns 3-1 record at Hill Country Classic
CAPTION: Kade Shaw was one of several Bulldogs to pitch during the Hill Country Classic March 2-4. Shaw and Dash Denton helped the Bulldogs defeat Pleasanton. Photo by Stennis Shotts
The Burnet High School baseball team earned 3-1 record during the Hill Country Classic the Bulldogs co-hosted with Llano March 2-4. They earned a 10-0 win against Fredericksburg, an 11-3 victory against Johnson City, and a 9-8 win against Pleasanton and lost to Elgin 4-3.
“(Game) time limits are hard,” head coach Russell Houston said. “I honestly feel like if we’d gotten to finish (the Elgin) game, it would have come back around.”
The Bulldogs are hitting on all cylinders as they turn their attention to the District 24-4A home opener against Jarrell at 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 7, at Bulldog Diamonds.
Houston noted the bi-district series loss to LaGrange in 2022 to end the season has stayed with his returners, who are simply driven for different results this season. And that starts with a positive showing in district play.
“They had a sour taste left in their mouths when they lost in the playoffs,” he said. “I think they have improved, they’re motivated, and they have a great belief in everything going in. They like each other, and they like being around each other.”
The best part? Every Bulldog does his best to contribute positively in every game, which shows the team’s depth and should wreak havoc on opponents.
“We don’t depend on one person,” Houston said. “In any given game, it can be somebody else who comes through. I think it makes it more enjoyable and easier on the team. I know they go compete, and they’re not worried about individual accolades. They’re going out there, and they’re competing. They’re going to the next pitch or the next at-bat. It’s looking forward and let’s go get better. This weekend it was let’s go get better at what we do.”
The coach noted one drawback to tournaments is the time limit, no matter how many innings have been played. He added that tournaments also allow coaches to use different pitchers. Matthew Valdez threw against Fredericksburg, while Kurt Kassner and Braden Ellett-Clark threw against Elgin, Cooper Faris pitched against Johnson City, and Kade Shaw and Dash Denton were on the mound against Pleasanton.
“Some kids know they’re going to pitch in tournaments, and their regular role is shortstop or second base,” Houston said. “You have to do that. We have lots of different kids who threw this weekend and some who didn’t throw. And you have to have arms ready for the big one on Tuesday.”
He noted the Bulldogs plating multiple runs per game also helps everyone defensively, especially the pitchers.
“It’s definitely a different mentality,” he said. “It’s easier to pitch when you have a multiple-run lead. A run isn’t going to hurt you in the grand scheme of things. It does play a big role. It allows your kids to have grace. And they’re not worried about giving up a couple of runs. And the pitchers know they don’t have to be perfect.”
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