Pampa traveled to Dumas on Friday night in a pivotal matchup for the playoff race. If the Harvesters were able to secure the win, it would have helped their cause for making the playoffs. Pampa fell behind early and was unable to put together a run to come back. Dumas won 4-2. Pampa’s record now rested at 12-13 overall and 7-5 in district play.
Sophomore Judsen Hancock started the game with a single to short. Senior Michael Campos did his job with the sacrifice bunt to move Hancock over. After a flyout by Senior Tyler Reed, Freshman Max Neff was able to single on a line drive to left which scored Hancock for the 1-0 lead.
Reed took the mound for the Harvesters needing 10 strikeouts for 100 career strikeouts as a Harvester. He quickly got the first two outs of the bottom of the first. A hit by pitch and single made things a little dicey before Reed was able to get a strikeout to end the frame for the Demons.
With one out in the top of the second, Freshman Jarren Hill smacked a triple to right as the ball hit off the wall. Unfortunately, the next two outs came quickly with Hill unable to be brought home.
Reed began the second with a strikeout. After hitting another batter, he recorded another strikeout. A single and a double put the Demons on top at 2-1 before the end of their inning.
Senior Huston Skinner began the third with a walk. Campos also walked and there were two men on base with just one out. Sophomore Isaiah Anguiano came on to run for Campos. Pampa left men on base yet again as they were unable to muster more action in the inning.
Reed began the third with back-to-back strikeouts before hitting a batter and another getting on base via a single. However, Reed completed the inning with another strikeout.
Sophomore Brooks Barton hit a hard grounder down the foul line for a single to right field to begin the fourth. Freshman Boston Botello hit a triple to right. He would have scored the tying run via Barton but he was caught stealing earlier in the at-bat. Another threat for the Harvesters could not come to fruition in the fourth.
Reed got the Demons to go quietly in the fourth with just a single. He also recorded another strikeout in the inning.
Campos had a two out single but that was all she wrote for Pampa in the fifth. This was the fourth straight inning the Harvesters had at least one man on base but were unable to bring them home.
Dumas began the fifth with a single and a sacrifice bunt. Another batter was hit before Reed recorded a strikeout for the second out. After a walk, Reed recorded an inning-ending strikeout. Dumas still led 2-1 with six outs to go for the Harvesters.
Freshman Max Neff began the sixth with a single to left. Two quick outs came next for Pampa before Botello reached on an error. Pampa now had runners on the corners with two outs. The double steal was called to try to steal the tying run but it was unsuccessful and the inning ended with a man on base yet again for Pampa.
After Reed hit another batter to begin the sixth, a change was made. Sophomore Isaiah Estrada came in to pitch for Pampa. Estrada got two quick outs via bunt attempts by the Demons. Head Coach Austin Samulowitz decided to intentionally walk the next batter. Dumas put some insurance runs on the board next with a double to center and they now led 4-1. Estrada ended the inning with a strikeout.
Pampa entered the top of the seventh needing three runs to continue on with the game. Junior Zanden Salazar got on base via a hit by pitch. Hancock singled to left. Campos hit a line drive and reached via an error. This scored Senior Brenton Stowers (he ran for Salazar). Hancock tried to go home as well as the throw to first was errant. However, he was called out at the plate. The ballgame ended with Harvesters on base in scoring position. Pampa got runners on base in all seven innings but was unable to score more than just the two runs.
Final: Dumas 4, Pampa 2.
Reed pitched five innings and gave up three earned runs but recorded nine strikeouts. He is now one shy of 100 career strikeouts as a Harvester. Estrada recorded a strikeout with one earned run.
Hancock was 2-4 with a run scored. Campos was 1-2 with a walk. Neff was 2-3 with an RBI. Barton, Hill, Botello were all 1-3. Hill and Botello recorded triples. Skinner recorded a walk in the game.
Pending any changes due to weather, Pampa will travel to West Plains on Tuesday night for a very important matchup with the Wolves.
District Standings as of April 24 (Top 4 will make playoffs):
Randall 12-0
Canyon 9-3
Pampa 7-5
West Plains 7-5
Hereford 6-6
Dumas 4-8
Perryton 3-9
Borger 0-12
Other games tonight: Borger @ Randall. Perryton @ Hereford. Dumas @ Canyon
Other games on 4/28: Hereford @ Borger. Canyon @ Perryton. West Plains @ Dumas
If Pampa loses tonight, they will need help from another team beating Hereford or West Plains to force a tiebreaker.
The most likely scenario, should Pampa win, is a three-way tie at 8-6 between Pampa, Hereford, and West Plains. If this scenario occurs, there will be a round-robin tournament on Saturday, April 29 to determine the third and fourth seeds.
We will recap the action from tonight in Thursday’s paper! By then, we will know all of the possible scenarios!
Catch up on the recap of those games next week! All games are live-streamed on the GameChanger app. You can also catch Jamisen Hancock and Ben Campbell with the radio call for KDRL 103.3 FM. Their radio broadcast will also be on the live stream.
