Burnet baseball crushes Georgetown Gateway to remain unbeaten in district

CAPTION: Burnet senior Dash Denton and the Bulldogs continue their assault on District 24-4A with another lopsided victory, this time against Georgetown Gateway. Staff photo by Jennifer Fierro

The Burnet high School baseball team defeated Georgetown Gateway 9-1 March 14 in District 24-4A play.

The Bulldogs (13-2, 3-0) took a 1-0 lead in the first inning thanks to a RBI single to center field by Matthew Valdez that scored Trey Morrow on a fielder’s choice. The run came after two outs.

That score stood until the fifth inning when the Gators (6-7-1, 1-2) scored an unearned run off a throwing error to tie the contest at 1-1. Paul Samaripa reached base on a single then ran home when the ball was overthrown to first base on an attempted pick-off. He scored after two outs.

Right after the Bulldogs got the third out to force Gateway to strand a runner at third, Burnet head coach Russell Houston spoke to his players longer than usual before they picked up their bats.

“The energy level needed to come up, and we needed to go answer,” he recalled telling them. “We kind of played flat, just out there. We needed to raise the energy.”

After the first batter struck out, Will Johnson hit a single to shallow left field, then Morrow followed that with a single to right field. Dash Denton added an infield single, but the Bulldogs’ speed confused the infielder, who didn’t see a base to throw to for the sure out. That allowed all three Bulldogs to be safe and load the bases. Valdez added another RBI single to center field for the 2-1 lead. Then Khris Kassner hit a RBI single down the third-base line and got to first to keep the bases loaded.

That’s when Colt Stanford stepped to the plate.

On a 3-1 count, Stanford sent the ball over the left-field wall, some 325 feet, to clear the bases and compel Gateway coaches to make a pitching change. Though Trenton Park singled to left-center field, he was stranded.

The damage, however, was done. Burnet led 7-1 headed into the sixth inning.

“Hitting is contagious,” the coach said. “It just is. Every batter is like ‘oh, this is what we do.’ When you’re not hitting, everybody is not hitting. We found a way to get the bat to the next guy. It did feel comfortable after the grand slam.”

Burnet pitcher Denton continued his dominance in the sixth inning, forcing the Gators to hit into a 1-3 out and striking out the next batter for two quick outs. And though two Gators reached base, Denton ended the inning with a strikeout.

In the bottom of the sixth, Johnson reached on a throwing error and went to second when Morrow was walked. Both runners advanced on a pass ball. Denton picked up the RBI and Valdez added his third RBI single of the contest for the 9-1 lead.

After Gateway doubled to left field to start the seventh inning, Denton struck out the next three batters to end the game.

In seven complete innings, the Burnet hurler allowed 1 unearned run off 3 hits with a walk, 2 hit by pitches, and struck out 11.

“He’s a Bulldog on the mound,” Houston said. “He pitched to contact early. He finds ways to get outs. He’s a great young man.”

Gateway pitcher Justus Franke was credited with the loss. He allowed 7 earned runs off 11 hits with 2 strikeouts in 4 and 1/3 innings.

Stanford finished with 4 RBI and Valdez had 3 with 3 hits. Denton had 3 hits. Morrow had 3 runs scored and Johnson had 2. Burnet finished with 13 hits.

As for the 1-0 lead, Houston said there wasn’t a feeling of being overly pressured, noting the Bulldogs simply kept making every routine play for every out. He liked the way they competed defensively, and he especially was pleased to see them respond in the bottom of the fifth inning when they broke the tie.

“It keeps your kids locked in and ready to play,” he said.

Burnet will travel to play at Marble Falls Tuesday, March 22, with the junior varsity playing at 4″30 p.m. and varsity following at 7 p.m.

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