Oilers, Wildcats out to break deadlock
After splitting first two playoff meetings, stakes high in Pearland and Clear Creek’s third go-round
Something has to give. You always want to beat your friends. This is the rubber match.
All sorts of cliches will be in play this week when Clear Creek and Pearland meet in the third round of the Region 3-6A baseball playoffs.
No matter what happens on the field, coaches Brent Kunefke (Clear Creek) and Anthony Scalise (Pearland) are likely to remain friends off the field. They forged a friendship not long after Kunefke was hired four years ago. Their families hang out from time to time.
“We talk a lot on the phone,” Scalise said Sunday night. “We talk baseball a lot. He’s already texted 10 times today.”
Kunefke said the familiarity does not necessarily change the dynamic of the series, but with as good as the teams have been the last several years not much could do that.
This is the third year in a row Clear Creek (26-6-1) and Pearland (26-5) will meet in the third round of the postseason. Pearland won in 2014. Clear Creek won in 2015.
While Clear Creek got its revenge last year, Pearland will be looking for revenge of its own this year. They both mostly expected this to be the match-up again this year. Both won their third consecutive district titles, and the bracket sets up for the No. 1 seeds in Districts 22 and 24 to meet in the third round.
“It’s what you expect in the regional quarterfinals,” Kunefke said. “You’re going to play a good quality team.”
The highest quality of both teams comes in different areas, which is what makes the match-up so intriguing.
Clear Creek has found most of its success in its offense. The Wildcats boast a lineup unlike many at the high school level in that they do not have any easy outs. In addition to that, most of them can run on the base paths so the pressure they put on opposing teams is a step above the rest.
“Our ability to hit one through nine has gotten us where we are,” Kunefke said.
On the other hand, Pearland has ridden its pitching staff all season. The Oilers have put that on grand display in the postseason by allowing 10 runs in four games - all victories.
In their first-round series against North Shore they did not even have to use ace Brady Basso. That’s because Izayah Quezada and Mason Van Noort pitched great. Jaren Robler and Nick Landrum were solid out of the bullpen in two games against Fort Bend Travis in round two.
“We need to clean it up a little bit in a few areas, but overall it’s high school baseball and if you can have a few guys who can really pitch you have a chance,” Scalise said. “We’re throwing a lot of strikes. We’ve pitched extremely well this year. The games we have lost definitely haven’t been because of our pitching.”
The teams’ roads in the playoffs have been different, too. Last week Pearland shut down the Travis offense en route to a series sweep. Clear Creek, on the other hand, had to go the distance and then some to beat Dawson.
Clear Creek dropped the first game of the series and avoided elimination with a big win in the second game. The decisive game began at 1 p.m. Saturday and lasted five inning before a lightning delay.
The delay lasted three hours despite the fact there was no rain. Eventually the series shifted to Galveston for the final two innings. Clear Creek scored six runs to break open a close game and won, 12-3.
The last two playoff series between Clear Creek and Pearland also went three games. Neither coach would be surprised if this week’s series also goes the distance.
Based on all of the factors playing into this one, it would be fitting.
“It’s like two trains are fixing to hit head on,” Kunefke said. “Something is going to give.”