ABILENE, TX – Elgin batters banged 16 hits off Bastrop pitchers in an 18-4 rout in a District 18-5A game at the Bears field on Tuesday.
The Wildcats (15-13 overall, 10-1 in District 18-5A) scored five runs in each of the first two innings to take a 10-0 lead. The game was halted after six innings because of the 10-run rule.
Elgin’s Braylon Owens smashed a ground rule double to right center in the fifth inning. Wesley Harkins hit a two-run double off the leftfield fence in the first. Til Nalle, the starting pitcher, hit a long out to Bastrop center fielder Reagan Hibbs almost to the fence at 380 feet in the fifth inning.
Bastrop starter Conrad Pace lasted three innings. He struggled with his control, walking six and hitting one batter. He yielded six hits and 10 runs.
In three innings of relief, Elija Vaquera allowed 10 hits and eight runs.
With solid hitting and pitching, Elgin is tied for first place in the district with Hendrickson.
“They’re playing good baseball,” Elgin coach Edward Stringer said. “They’re having fun. They’re being good teammates.
“We play aggressive baseball. We force other teams to make plays.”
Elgin shortstop Keaton Grady and Nalle have both signed with the University of Incarnate Word, while Owens is headed to the University of Texas at San Antonio.
Nalle, currently the team’s No. 1 pitcher because of injuries to Owens and Grady, allowed an RBI single to Connally Bodine in the third inning. He walked the first three batters in the fourth and was relieved by Greg Aguirre. Peter Bacon then walked to drive in a run, and Hibbs had a two-run single to right.
Nalle pitched three innings to take the win. He allowed two hits and four runs; he struck out five and walked five. Aguirre tossed two innings and Owens one inning without yielding a run.
“We have a lot of guys that can throw in district play,” Stringer said. “We have guys ready to go when their name is called. That’s nice.”
Bastrop (10-10, 6-5) has lost three consecutive district contests but remains in fourth place. The top four teams advance to the playoffs. Weiss, which defeated Cedar Creek 6-2 on Tuesday, is in fifth place with a 5-6 record.
Hibbs, Bastrop’s ace, will pitch at Elgin on Friday. Two years ago as a sophomore, Hibbs shut out Elgin 5-0 on a one-hitter. But this is a much more explosive Elgin team.
Bastrop plays host to Manor (3-8 in district) on Saturday and on the road on Tuesday. The Mustangs upset Pflugerville 12-8 on Tuesday. Bastrop coach Cody Price said Pace is available to pitch on Saturday because he was under 85 pitches against Elgin.
“As long as we handle business with Manor, we’re fine,” Price said. “We’re still going to have to compete.”
At Cedar Creek, Weiss’ Nicholas Cortez went the distance for the win over Cedar Creek (2-15, 0-9). In seven innings, Cortez allowed three hits. He fanned 11 and walked two.
Gabriel Gonzalez took the loss. He pitched 5⅓ innings, yielding six hits and six runs. He struck out seven, walked four, and hit two batters. Gonzalez hit an RBI single.
Cedar Creek’s Dallas Baker pitched 1⅔ innings in relief without allowing a run.
Cedar Creek visits Weiss on Friday.
