Lobos make the most of wet situation
Langham Creek coach thinks compressed schedule perfect training for playoffs
Langham Creek still had a lot to do.
Last week’s rain and subsequent flooding left the Lobos – and the rest of Cy-Fair ISD’s baseball teams – in the lurch, forcing them to play four District 17-6A games in the final week of the regular season.
Coach Armando Sedeño didn’t mind.
H e looked at it as a warm-up tournament before the biggest tournament of the year – the state playoffs.
“I like it because now we get to play and do something instead of practice,” he said. “Playing is a whole lot better than practicing. “Practice is overrated.” Playing is better than practicing, but practicing is better than doing nothing, and Cy-Fair ISD teams struggled to get anything accomplished last week, leaving a lot to do before the postseason begins.
Cy-Fair was on top of 17-6A at 11-2 entering this week, but even it hadn’t clinched a berth.
Cypress Woods and Cy Falls were tied for fifth four games back, and CyFair and Cy Falls still had to play each other.
Langham Creek and Cy Creek were tied for third at 9-4.
They, barring any more weather-related setbacks, were scheduled to play Monday and Wednesday.
The Lobos were slated to wrap district Friday at home against Cy Ridge.
They finished 12-5 in district last year and had four district losses going into this week, but Sedeño said there isn’t a big difference in what they accomplished last year and where they are this season.
“We lost three one-run games in district, out of the four, and Deer Park beat us by one, so when I think about the teams that have beat us, it’s not like anybody has just wore us out,” he said.
Their first week was one of the toughest
Klein Oak clobbered them 11-2, then the Lobos dropped one of those onerun games, falling 4-3 to George Ranch.
They’re playing much better now.
Langham Creek leads the district in team batting average (.308) and stolen bases (69) and ranks third in tem ERA (1.88).
“You have to be hot at the right time anyway,” Sedeño said. “To me, it’s all about the now, and where people are at right now.”
The Lobos also beat Cy Ranch 6-2 in their only meeting. But Sedeño said they didn’t play much better in that one than they did in the two losses to CyFair. It’s just the balls they hit hard went where they wanted them against the Mustangs.
“They’re just another team to us,” Sedeño said. “It’s everybody else who gets all crazy about them, not us.”
Langham Creek has four players back from last season, all seniors: Second baseman John Michael Sopher, catcher Michael Hoehner, third baseman Zach Sweet and first baseman/pitcher Brady Perez.
The team also leans on pitcher Brennan Bowles, right fielder/P Tyler Fischer, outfielder Korey Holland and designated hitter Garrett Lax.
“Everybody’s contributed, and that’s the good part about it,” Sedeño said.
Hoehner was leading the district with a .493 batting average from the cleanup spot.
“His confidence and his whole persona in baseball have changed,” Sedeño said. “His confidence is better, and his love of the game. That’s really the biggest part of it. The enjoyment of playing has made him better.”
Bowles was pacing 17-6A with a 0.80 ERA through 35 innings pitched.
Holland, a sophomore newcomer, is the leadoff.
“He’s been a surprise,” Sedeño said. “He was batting in the bottom half of the lineup, and he started doing a great job for me down there, and so I decided to change the lineup, because we were losing those one-run ballgames, and it’s helped.”