Wednesday, April 24, 2024
The Granbury Pirates baseball team is making a habit of coming through in the clutch, and there is no better time than now — in the playoffs.
A sweep of the best-of-three Class 5A bi-district series against Grapevine last week sent Granbury into the area round of the playoffs. They will take on Mansfield Timberview in another best-of-three series, with the first game set for 7 p.m. Thursday, May 13, at Timberview High School. Game 2 will be at 7 p.m. Friday, May 14, at Granbury High School’s Tidwell Field. If a third game is needed it will be Saturday, May 15, but the time and site have not been announced. The winner of the series will advance to the third round against either Aledo or Burleson.
In Game 1 of the Grapevine series, Thursday at home, senior pitcher Taylor Calcote came through with a complete-game two-hitter in a 3-1 victory.
That was clutch playoff performance No. 1.
The fact that Granbury — the No. 4 playoff seed out of District 5-5A — handed a No. 1 seed like the District 6 champion Mustangs that loss may have changed the mental outlook of the series for both teams.
In Game 2, the Pirates were trailing Grapevine 4-3 when shortstop Brock Mueller ripped a double past the left fielder to the fence, driving in the tying and winning runs with two outs.
That was clutch playoff performance No. 2.
GHS head coach Brad Eppler, whose team improved to 23-7 on the season, noted that the Pirates don't have superstars — but they find ways to win with multiple players coming through with key performances at the right time.
On the Pirates' roster, Eppler said, "You can find a whole bunch of players up and down the lineup that did a really good job. Our big thing is, we don't have to all be great at the same time.”
Calcote said that he pulled it together on the mound after a slow start and called Game 1 "a great team win," setting up the series sweep.
"I started off rough," said Calcote, who stands 6 feet, 5 inches tall and has signed to play for Wichita State University. "The first inning wasn't what I wanted it to be. The rest of the way, I settled down. I just believed in myself. I let my arm to the work. We played good on defense. We hit the ball well today."
CALCOTE’S COMEBACK
Eppler said that ever since a rough outing against District 5 champion Aledo, Calcote had been used coming out of the bullpen instead of starting. The return to starting status began with the Grapevine series. During his stint as a reliever, Calcote "has been the biggest fan" of his teammates and didn't let it get him down, according to his coach.
"He's a good leader," Eppler said. "He did exactly what we asked him. He was able to get fly ball and ground ball outs. It's all about being in the strike zone."
As for the feat of a fourth seed knocking off a No. 1 seed in the playoffs, Eppler said, "Not only is it rare, it's a huge momentum boost."
Going up against Timberview, Eppler said he expects his Pirates will continue to play well, adding, "We're going to challenge them to beat us two games."
GAME ONE
Grapevine gained a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning, during Calcote’s “rough” start, but was scoreless the rest of the way. A leadoff walk and a double produced the run.
GHS, which recorded seven hits in the game including three off the bat of Matthew Walters, quickly took the lead with a pair of runs in the bottom of the first. The Pirates added their final run in the bottom of the fifth.
A double, one of two hits by Cameron Collins, drove in Granbury’s first run. Calcote then helped himself with an RBI single, one of his two hits in the game.
Walters launched a home run over the left-field fence with one out in the bottom of the fifth to complete the scoring.
GAME TWO
Garrett Jones blasted a triple in the top of the second inning to help the Pirates grab an early 1-0 lead, but the Mustangs responded with three in the bottom of the frame.
Calcote singled home a run in the top of the third, cutting the deficit to 3-2 and forcing a Grapevine pitching change.
After the Mustangs added a run in the bottom of the fourth to expand their lead to 4-2, the Pirates struck for three in the top of the sixth. Jones smacked his second triple of the game to lead off the sixth. The Pirates got another runner on with a walk, and Parker Bradley drove in one run with a single. With two outs, Mueller muscled his double past the left fielder. It rolled to the fence, driving in two runs to give the Pirates their winning margin.
GHS pitcher Tyler Sudderth turned in six solid innings on the mound to earn the victory, limiting the Mustangs to four hits while striking out seven. Cameron Collins closed out the game pitching for GHS, mowing down the side in order in the bottom of the seventh.
GAME ONE
Grapevine 100 000 0 — 1 2 0
Granbury 200 010 x — 3 7 3
GAME TWO
Granbury 011 003 0 — 5 6 2
Grapevine 030 100 0 — 4 4 3
