Pampa Harvesters (12-8-1, 5-4) Head Coach Austin Samulowitz said Tuesday’s game at Hereford would have a “playoff atmosphere” as both teams had “everything to play for.” If that’s the case, their 14-4 win over the Whitefaces proves the Harvesters are treating every game like a playoff game in an attempt to secure the coveted four-seed of District 4-4A.
“We came out and scored four in the first inning,” Head Coach Austin Samulowitz said. “Our guys smelled blood in the water, and they kept pushing and putting pressure on Hereford. I’m super proud of the way they fought from the get-go.
“Anytime we get up with a big lead, I’m thinking, ‘Let’s not screw this up. I’ve seen way too many games on ESPN where teams get big leads and they blow it’. I wanted to make sure we secured the win and finished the game before things got ugly.”
The Harvesters drew first blood in the top of the second inning, when Senior Isaiah Anguiano hit an error-inducing line drive to left field, scoring juniors Max Neff and Jarren Hill. Junior Boston Botello added an RBI base hit scoring I. Anguiano and setting Senior Judsen Hancock up 90 feet from home plate. Hancock later capitalized on a wild pitch giving the Harvesters the early 4-0 lead.
They took the momentum from the first inning, and amplified it during the second inning scoring eight more runs to take the commanding 12-1 lead. Neff scored on a passed ball during Senior Brooks Barton’s at bat. Soon after, Barton hit a double to right field to score I. Anguiano. I. Anguiano later scored on a passed ball during Hancock’s at bat. Botello then plated Hancock, who drew a walk, to make it 8-1 Pampa. Junior Conner Hall hit into a fielder’s choice, but the play allowed Hancock to score on a Hereford error. Senior Noah Anguiano joined the hit parade, hitting a line drive to left field and scoring Hall. Neff and Hill each added hits soon after and scored N. Anguiano and Senior Isaiah Estrada, respectively, to give Pampa the 12-1 lead.
The Harvesters tacked on two more runs, one on a sac fly from Hall scoring Hancock and another on an RBI double from Barton to score junior Clayton Rodgers. Hereford did score three more runs late but Pampa held on to win 14-4.
In the win, Botello went 3-5 with two RBI and a double. The junior is hitting .311 on the year with 13 RBI and has drawn six walks.
“Boston is a three-year varsity starter,” Samulowitz said. “He’s a competitor. He’s one of those guys that when you need a run scored, you want him at the plate. Boston doesn’t strike out; he puts the ball in play. Yesterday, the first three pitches he saw, he had three singles. He came out swinging and fighting and has done a great job for us.”
The Harvesters returned to action on Friday when they hosted Perryton, in another game that Samulowitz considered a must-win.
“Perryton is a big game,” Samulowitz said. “They’ve been playing really good baseball during district. We know we’ve got to come out and play a clean game. Playing at home offers us an advantage, but we’ve got to come out and take care of business. Yes, we’re going to enjoy the big Hereford win. But today we are going to refocus and get ready for a good Perryton team.”
Stat Round-Up
Max Neff went 3-4 with two runs scored, a double, a stolen base and an RBI; Jarren Hill went 1-3 with two runs scored, an RBI, a stolen base and a walk; Isaiah Anguiano went 2-4 with two runs scored, a double and a walk; Brooks Barton went 3-5 with a run scored, a double and an RBI; Judsen Hancock had three runs scored three walks; Boston Botello went 3-5 with two RBI and a double; Conner Hall had a run scored, an RBI and a walk; Noah Anguiano went 1-3 with a run scored and an RBI; Isaiah Estrada had a run scored and a walk.
Isaiah Anguiano pitched 6.1 innings with six hits, four runs, four earned runs, eight strikeouts and five walks; Brooks Barton pitched .2 innings with no hits, no runs, no earned runs, no strikeouts and no walks.
