Rick Patrick, rick@greenepublishing.com
The Cowboys' up and down baseball season came to an end on Tuesday, May 10, at the hands of the Hornets of Lafayette High School. The Cowboys struggled at the plate as the Hornets took advantage of great pitching and solid defensive play to hold the Cowboys to just three hits in their 4-2 loss to the Hornets in the Region Three semi-final in the Class 1A State Baseball Tournament.
The Hornets took an early 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Then, in the top of the third inning, the Hornets extended their lead on a two-run homer, giving the Hornets a 4-0 advantage, going into the bottom of the third inning. The Cowboys took advantage of a pair of throwing errors and scored two runs in the bottom of the third inning. From that point on, the game was a defensive struggle with each team making plays to keep the other away from home plate. The Cowboys had a flicker of life in the bottom of the seventh inning, when Parker Copeland hit a one-out triple. However, a pair of strike-outs failed to bring him home, as the Hornets advanced in the playoffs and the Cowboys' season drew to a close.
JD Bryan, Copeland and Blaydon Plain all had hits for the Cowboys.
Bryan went the distance on the mound, giving up four hits, two earned runs and two walks. Bryan also tallied 10 strike-outs.
“I think on a whole the season went well,” said Head Baseball Coach Jason Fletcher. “Our guys fought through some adversity and some tough times and came out a stronger bunch for it. They ended the season on a good run and won our first district title since 2019. We definitely fell short of where we wanted to be, but the guys grew as young men and built a bond that will last a lifetime. No matter how many seasons I see end, it never gets easier. I’m going to miss this group, they were special.”
The Cowboys finished their 2022 season with a 14-10 record and the Class 1A District Five Championship.