La Grange Baseball Struggles Versus Giddings

The La Grange baseball team’s dreams of a district title this season probably came to an end last week, as they were swept by Giddings 18-6 on Tuesday and 11-0 at home Friday. The Leps then lost to visiting Anderson-Shiro 9-4 Saturday.

Those losses dropped the Leps’ overall record to 10-10 and their district mark to 2-2, but the Leps remain very much in the hunt for the runner-up spot in District 20-4A. La Grange’s games later this month against Smithville will go a long way to determining that runner-up spot, but before then, the Leps play Manor New Tech at home Tuesday at 7 p.m. and in Manor Friday at 7 p.m. in another pair of big district games.

“It just wasn’t our night, wasn’t our week,” La Grange manager Robert Barber said. “We still have a lot to play for. We just need to find a way to rebound from this week and find the team we were earlier in the season.”

If there was a silver-lining to the Giddings series for the Leps, it was that they were able to foil a no-hitter attempt by Buffaloes hurler Corbin Dube at the last moment Friday.

Dube hadn’t allowed a hit versus the Leps through four and two-thirds innings when La Grange freshman Bennett Barber got an infield single to end the no-hit bid.

Other than that, there weren’t many positives for the Leps Friday.

Braeden Wilder hit two very well-struck balls to left field but they ended up just being very long outs.

Besides Barber, the only other baserunners La Grange had Friday were when Cameron Kruse reached via a walk in the first inning and Trenton Barnes reached via an error in the second.

Giddings managed eight hits against the Leps ace pitcher Wyatt Wick, but La Grange also committed six errors as the Buffaloes built a big lead. Wick struck out seven.

Buffalo leadoff hitter Holden Jatzlau reached four times, had a single, double and triple and scored four runs. Kaleb Pyle relieved Wick with one out in the fifth inning.

“Giddings is a really good team, they are ranked No. 9 (in the state) for a reason. They have a lot of experience,” Barber said. “Early on tonight we couldn’t seem to make a play behind Wyatt. Kudos to Wyatt, he still competed. All the kids continued to play hard, we battled.”

District 20-4A Baseball

Giddings 4-0

Smithville 4-0

La Grange 2-2

Eastside 2-2

Manor NT 0-4

LBJ 0-4