Trailing by two runs into the seventh inning, Taylor’s baseball players stayed true to what coach Nick Jones told them after the first inning when Seven Lakes plated those two early runs.
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Trailing by two runs into the seventh inning, Taylor’s baseball players stayed true to what coach Nick Jones told them after the first inning when Seven Lakes plated those two early runs.
“Relax and don’t press,” Jones said. “I told them the first inning wouldn’t dictate this game.”
In yet another example of how bizarre the game of baseball can be, the Mustangs watched as their hopes were quickly revived and the Spartans’ were slowly doused in that final frame. Taylor’s unbelievable come-from-behind 4-2 win over Seven Lakes in their win-or-go-home District 19-6A finale on Saturday evening awarded the Mustangs the district’s fourth and final playoff spot and handed the Spartans an abrupt, unexpected end to the season.
In Jones’ first year at the helm of the club, Taylor (15-12-1) is in the playoffs for the first time since 2017.
“It was about as hyped as it could be,” said senior cleanup hitter Trevor Woods, whose RBI fielder’s choice produced the go-ahead run in the seventh. “We’ve got 14 seniors and we knew that could’ve been our last inning. We didn’t want that to happen. Through our four years, we were so close. So many times, we were fifth (in district). We wanted to be the team to make the playoffs for the first time in a while.”
Seven Lakes relief pitching accounted for three consecutive hit batters to quickly load the bases to start the top of the seventh.
Then senior pinch runner Eric Marrero scored on a wild pitch. Senior J.C. Barry drew a walk. Junior Nate Lopez followed with an RBI flyout to center for the first out. Senior Josh Jiminez singled. Woods grounded into a fielder’s choice and the go-ahead RBI. Senior Bryce Bourgeois stole home while the Spartans tried to unsuccessfully nail Woods in a rundown. Then sophomore Hunter Ham flew out.
After all that, the Mustangs scored four runs on one hit, turning a 2-0 deficit into a 4-2 advantage.
“Really, nothing changes,” Jones said of his team’s approach through the wild seventh inning. “Sit on the fastball, make him throw you something. But at the same time, I didn’t want our guys to be uncomfortable. I tell them all the time—foot down, hands on top (of the bat), hands back. They really did. They’re finding ways to make great approaches with two strikes and put the ball in play.”
Taylor junior reliever Jared Schaeffer hit the first batter he faced in the bottom of the seventh and then struck out the next three to finish off the shell-shocked Spartans, whose season ended at 14-15-2.
Junior Blake Wolf got the win, throwing six innings and allowing two runs on seven hits while striking out two and walking none. Both of those runs and four of those hits came in the first inning.
“You can’t give up. We’re that kind of team,” Lopez said. “We’re going to come back. We came out today, we didn’t have it going early on, but we fought. We came back and did what we had to do.”
Prior to the seventh, the Mustangs were scoreless and had just four hits. Seven Lakes senior starter Thomas Gilbert pitched well in his 5 1/3 innings of work, allowing three hits, striking out one and walking one.
But Spartans relievers struggled in his stead.
It didn’t cost Seven Lakes in the sixth when Taylor loaded the bases with two outs before second baseman Jake Steffes mishandled a ground ball, recovered impressively and tossed to first baseman Jack Coultas to get out Tomas Torres.
Still, the Spartans’ bullpen issues proved a precursor of what was to come. Seven Lakes used three relievers in the seventh. All had difficulty with location. Spartans relievers accounted for four earned runs on two hits with one walk and four hit batsmen in just 1 2/3 innings.
When Lopez got up to bat with the bases loaded and no outs and the Mustangs down 2-1, he was not nervous or anxious. He was as sure as could be, considering the situation.
“I just wanted to get that run,” said Lopez, whose fly ball to center scored Wolf. “I had that mentality that I knew I was going to do it. I set a goal; I achieved the goal. It happened. I was ready for whatever was going to come.”
When Woods stepped up to the plate two batters later, with the game now tied 2-2 and the bases still loaded with one out, he was asked if he wanted to sacrifice bunt or swing away. He wanted to swing. He was confident.
Woods justified that faith and swung at the first pitch, putting the ball on the ground and scoring junior Camden Champness.
“I like to swing at the first pitch anyway, because usually guys are trying to get it in the strike zone to get ahead in the count,” Woods said. “That’s why I’m confident.”
Schaeffer mowed down the Spartans’ 2-3-4 hitters, and the Mustangs were left with a win they won’t forget.
“It’s been a battle this season,” said Jones, whom players said brought a no-nonsense mentality of discipline and work ethic. “Sometimes, I’m fighting with what the players are doing and they’re fighting with what I’m doing. But it’s been healthy because it’s helped us grow. We’ve worked hard to get here.”