Wall Baseball Revenge Tour Begins Friday

What’s different about this year? Not the roster, that’s for sure. 

Last season, Wall fielded one of the youngest rosters in 3A, with zero seniors. While their youth may have posed challenges, it has also been a catalyst for growth. Now, they are seasoned veterans, ready to take on any challenge. Under the guidance of new head coach Jeremy Gordon, the Hawks have dominated their schedule, losing only three games, all non-district, all season. Gordon discussed his team’s performance this season at practice on Monday, April 29.

Watch that interview with Coach Gordon below:

The Hawks are not just hungry for another playoff run; they are brimming with confidence that was absent last season. This was evident when three different players, Kellen Oliver, Gunnar Dillard, and Augden Hallmark, were interviewed at practice on Monday. Ryan Chadwick asked the same question and received the same answer every time.

What’s different about this team this season?

“Last year everything was nerve-wracking,” Wall pitcher Kellen Oliver said. “I didn’t feel like I knew how to deal with certain batters when they were up at the plate. But now, I feel like I’m smarter and more intelligent on the mound, so now I know how to attack hitters differently. It feels great right now.”

Oliver was a freshman starting on varsity a season ago. He ended up in the regular rotation in the Hawks’ bullpen and was instrumental in the state-run in 2023. 

Augden Hallmark, one of the Senior leaders on the team, echoed Oliver’s words later.

“We have to take each game as if it’s our last. We can’t think too far ahead and need to take each one, one by one,” Hallmark said. His confidence leaked out when asked if the Hawks are ready to see the Brock Eagles later on in the playoffs. 

“Oh yeah, we are,” Hallmark replied with a smile.

One of the key factors to Wall’s success this season is the Hawks’ high-octane offense. It seems like every single player on the roster can threaten with a homerun each time they step up to the plate. Wall’s Catcher Gunnar Dillard says confidence is key. 

“You have to go up there with the confidence that you are going to absolutely mash every single ball,” said Dillard, one of the Regional leaders in doubles and triples this season. “If you go up there with any doubt in your mind, I mean, it’s already game over. That’s something that I’ve taken this year—a good mental approach. I go up there and I’m not trying to do too much; I’m just trying to square a ball up. But, I have ultimate confidence that I am going to square every single ball I swing at.”

The Hawks will need that confidence heading into the 2024 playoffs that begin this weekend. The first-round matchups are already set, and the Hawks will face off with the Llano Yellowjackets for a chance at a Bi-District Championship.

Wall plays Llano in a best-of-three-game series beginning on Friday, May 3. Game 1 is scheduled for 4 p.m. in Clyde at Clyde High School.