THAT’S A WRAP Pleasant Grove’s season one for the books
AUSTIN—Pleasant Grove left the baseball diamond for the last time Wednesday but had a season to remember.
The Hawks fell to Abilene Wylie, 3-1, in a clash between unbeaten Class 4A playoff teams at UFCU Disch-Falk Field on the University of Texas campus. Pleasant Grove’s season ended at 35-4.
Pleasant Grove, who were ranked No. 4 throughout the playoffs, left three runners on base and one in scoring position in the loss to the Bulldogs, who went on to win the state championship, 6-5, Thursday over Waco Robinson.
The Hawks can rest easier in the fact that they lost to the best but will graduate 10 seniors—Caleb Bolden, Tyler Jeans, Cade Thompson, Heath Ferguson, Connor Ouellette, Will Hlavinka, Nathan Brinkley, Layne Martindale, Logan Overmyer and Allen Lambert.
The team will return six lettermen, two seniors and four juniors, next season.
Pleasant Grove won back-to-back regional titles and made its eighth state tournament appearance in 10 years.
Up until the state semifinal, the Hawks outscored opponents 50-14, including three shutouts, and swept each of their best-of-3 series.
PG swept Decatur, 10-2 and 1-0, in the regional final to clinch its eighth regional title in the last 10 years. The Hawks defeated nemesis Argyle, 6-1 and 8-2, in the regional semifinals.
Pleasant Grove posted a pair of shutouts against Canton in the regional quarterfinals, 9-0 and 1-0.
The Hawks' toughest series came in the area round against Spring Hill. PG defeated the Panthers 3-1 and 3-1. In their opening bi-district playoff series, the Hawks beat Van 13-3 and a comefrom-behind 8-4 win in Game 2.
Unfortunately, Pleasant Grove's road ended to Abilene Wylie on Day 1 of the state tournament. The big hits that had propelled the Hawks to the final four didn't come as hard-hit balls landed in the gloves of the outfielders or were fielded by the Bulldogs' infielders.
Wylie built a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning, but sophomore Keaton Russo hit a solo home run in the fifth to put the Hawks on the board.
With two outs in the fifth, Ouellette smacked a double down the right-field line, but was left stranded when the inning ended.
The Hawk Nation is left wondering if Pleasant Grove could have made a state championship appearance had the Hawks played Waco Robinson or Sinton in its semifinal state tournament game.
For many, the winner of the Pleasant Grove-Abilene Wylie game would go on to win the championship, which is exactly what the Bulldogs did.
Had some plays gone a different way, the outcome may have been different for the Hawks, but they will keep what they learned this season and apply it in life and on the diamond going forward.