Kruse Leads Leps to Win Over State-Ranked Taylor
Against a state-ranked opponent, the La Grange baseball team grabbed one of its most dramatic, and important wins of the season.
Rallying from a 3-1 deficit, the Leps scored three runs on the top of the sixth inning Monday to beat state-ranked Taylor 4-3 in a victory that vaulted the La Grange into a tied for first with the Ducks.
“This is a group that fights until the last out and that’s exactly what they did,” said La Grange baseball coach Robert Barber. “It’s been fun to watch this team grow from our first game to where we are now.”
There were a bunch of heroes for the Leps Monday but Senior Cody Kruse was the biggest. He hit a game-tying two run single in the bottom of the sixth and pitched two scoreless innings of relief to close out the game.
“It feels good,” Kruse said. La Grange ace pitcher Trenton Barnes started the game for the Leps and was dominant, but Taylor was able to capitalize on some Lep miscues and Barnes left the game after allowing the leadoff batter to reach in the sixth with the Leps down 2-0.
Kruse came in and allowed the inherited runner to score on a sacrifice fly, but he didn’t let the Ducks get anything else going Then in the bottom of the frame, Barnes got the Leps bats going with a double. Jaden Williams walked and Ty Stark loaded the bases by getting hit by a pitch.
That ended the Taylor starting pitcher’s day. But on the first pitch from the reliever, Kruse smacked a single to drive home two and tie the game.
“I went up there just wanting to attack the fast ball early in the count,” Kruse said. “I knew coming out of a mound visit he was going to try to get ahead in the count.”
Brock Loehr then bunted Stark and Kruse to second and third respectively before Brigham Kelly singled home Stark with the run that would prove to be the game-winner. Then Kruse went back out to the mound for the seventh. He struck out two but also allowed two baserunners before coaxing a high fly ball to centerfielder Max Dixon, who made the catch for the final out.
“I was a little nervous when they got two runners on,” Kruse admitted.
But he got the job done, and by splitting their season series with Taylor, the Leps put themselves in a good position in the district standings.
“Taylor’s a really good team and I think we are too,” Barber said. “This is a tough week for us (three games) and it stinks we have to play tomorrow, because we want to enjoy this one a little longer.”
That quick turnaround did prove tough for the Leps as they fell to Caldwell 4-3. La Grange hosts Caldwell Friday at 7 p.m.
District 22-4A Baseball Taylor 5-1 La Grange 4-2 Giddings 4-2 Caldwell 4-2 Smithville 1-5 Manor NT 0-6