Schulenburg’s Baseball Season Comes to an End at the State Semifi nals
The Schulenburg Shorthorns baseball season came to an end in Caldwell Saturday, May 31, as they lost to Centerville 1-0 in Game 3 of the State Semifinals. “I’m super proud of these kids,” said Schulenburg Head Baseball Coach Isaiah Barrera after the game. “When I inherited the team, I think they had eight wins. And three years later we’re sitting in the State Semi-Finals. I’ll take that any day. But right now it really hurts.” The Shorthorns came from behind to win Game 1 on Thursday 6-5. Owen Brenek started on the mound and struggled early as Centerville got to a 4-1 lead. Nick Goode came in to pitch the last four innings of the game and gave up only one run. Schulenburg bounced back and scored two runs in the fifth and three more in the seventh to win in walk off fashion. The Horns lost 5-0 on Friday with Brycen Schramek on the mound. Centerville’s Junior pitcher Gunner Bazar put on a stellar performance, only allowing two hits. Conner Lichnovsky took the mound in Game 3 on Saturday. He had a tough start, throwing nearly 30 pitches in the first inning. With the bases loaded and no outs, the Tigers scored their first and only run of the game on a hit by pitch. Lichnovsky managed to get out of the jam with a couple of fly outs and a tag out at home plate. Things looked up for the Horns in the first at bat of the second inning as Zane Brenek reached second thanks to a hard collision in right centerfield. Officials paused the game for the two Centerville outfielders to regain composure. Then Lichnovsky reached first on a walk. Undeterred, Tiger pitcher Wyatt Rayburn settled in with a fly out, a toss out to first and a strikeout to close the inning. It was a pitchers’ duel the rest of the game, with both of them giving up only one more hit each. In the top of the sixth, Tyson Wagner singled on a hit between the second baseman and center field. Goode went in as the pinch runner. He tried stealing second but got caught. Two ground outs later, the Tigers were back up to the plate. The Horns retired their next three batters and it was the top of the seventh.
The Horns needed just one run to tie the game. Lichnovsky grounded out before Ian Reeves reached first on a walk. But then Rayburn struck out the final two Shorthorn batters.
“It’s not how we wanted it to end, but it comes to an end eventually,” senior Brycen Schramek said after the game.
The five Shorthorn seniors reflected in their season after the game.
Speaking of his teammates and coaches, Schramek said, “If anyone ever calls me and needs something, I’ll be right by their side right away. This group of guys, we’ve always been together. Just playing with one another, it’s an experience that’ll be hard to beat in life.”
“This group of guys, we’re basically Sandlot 2.0,” said Tyson Wagner. “We grew up playing in the back yard. To be this close, man, but hats off to that team. They fought their butts off and never gave up.”
“Let them go win it now,” said Zane Brenek. “If it’s not us, let it be them.”
“This entire run, yes, we played well and, yes, we worked hard, but it all goes up to the Lord,” said Cooper Demel. “Without Him, we would not be here. I say it before every game, ‘Let’s keep this thing going, Lord.’ He brought us here and he has plans for every single one of us.”
“It’s always been this group of guys, since we were young, to make it this far,” said Aaron Janacek, referencing this group’s deep run in the Little League playoffs when they were kids.
“I’m sorry we couldn’t make it all the way, but they’ll come back next year,” Janacek added.
The Shorthorns have made it to the State Semifinals only twice before, both times in the early 1990s.
Such a feat barely seemed possible back in the spring as the Shorthorns lost seven games to start the season.
“It’s been an emotional ride this whole year,” Barrera said. “One thing after another has happened. But we ended it the right way. These seniors ended it the right way.”
Barrera said the Horns should remain competitive next year with a quality group of underclassmen returning. But he won’t be around to coach them. Barrera announced to reporters after the game that he has signed to teach and coach at Giddings ISD.
Barrera is the latest in the Schulenburg-to-Giddings coaching exodus. Former Schulenburg Athletic Director and Head Football Coach Luke Hobbs took the head coach and AD position at Giddings earlier this year. Schulenburg’s former football offensive coordinator Brandon Williams followed Hobbs soon after. And now Barrera, who was defensive coordinator for the football team, will join them.
That leaves Schulenburg’s new AD, Clay Ferguson, with some important shoes to fill.