Hurst, Jansa Stay Cool to Lift Wall Past Ballinger

BALLINGER, TX-- The Ballinger Bearcats was able to hang with fifth-ranked Wall for a while Friday night at home, but a strong fifth inning would propel the Hawks to a 5-1 victory in a 3A Region I District 4 game. 

“[Jake Jansa] was the second batter in the [fifth] inning, roped a double to right center and kind of got us going there a little bit,” said Wall Head Coach Jason Schniers. “[Ballinger] did a great job of throwing strikes and our kids battled, and I think that hit kind of proved to me as the difference as far as getting us going a little bit.”

Sutton Hurst came out hot the first inning striking out three Ballinger batters in what would be a dominant performance where he only allowed one run on 102 pitches and six innings of work.

“Sutton matched their guy pitch for pitch and kept us in it,” Schniers praised. “That's exactly what I expect from someone who's shown he can do it.”

Brock Rosenquist got on the board early for the Hawks by scoring on a wild pitch after getting walked to reach first base safely, stealing second base and reaching third on a wild pitch in the top of the first.

Cody Harral would tie the game for Ballinger by scoring on an error by Hawk shortstop Tanner Seider in the bottom of the third. Harral finished 1-for-3 at the plate.

Rosenquist was also responsible for two runs in the fifth inning scoring on an error and driving in Heuertz. He would finish the night 1-3 with a walk, RBI, and a run scored.  

Heuertz singled earlier in the fifth to drive in Jansa, which gave the Hawks three runs total for the fifth inning. He would finish the night 1-3 with a walk and RBI as well.

Gage Weishuhn added another run for the Hawks in the sixth inning after reaching base from a walk and scoring on a wild pitch to put Wall up 5-1.

Ballinger would make a run in the bottom of the seventh inning, but Heuertz would shut the door on the Bearcats by tossing a scoreless seventh inning with one hit and one strikeout on his stat line.

Jordan Fuentes went five complete innings for Ballinger where he allowed four runs on five hits before Keynan Gonzalez came on in relief.

In terms of competition going forward Coach Schniers stated, “Everybody wants a piece of us so we're going to have to bring our best game every time we step on the field. So, our kids have to realize that and understand that.”

Wall (14-4-1, 2-0) will face Reagan County (13-4, 1-1) away  on March 27 at 7 p.m. Ballinger (5-10, 1-1) will face red-hot TLCA (8-1, 2-0) March 27 at 4 p.m. in San Angelo.