ROUND ROCK, TX — Adversity struck the Wall Hawks Baseball team early during their State Semifinal Matchup against the Corpus Christi London Pirates on Friday. One of their best pitchers, Luke Kemp, started the game on the mound for the Hawks, but after just four pitches, he had to leave the game. Freshman pitcher Kellan Oliver had his number called and massively stepped up for Wall in their 5-1 win. Check out a full recap of the game, inning by inning, here.
With a runner on and no outs, Oliver looked like a seasoned veteran as he helped the Hawks claw their way out of the inning without giving up any runs. He followed that performance with four more innings pitched. Oliver gave the Hawks’ offense an opportunity to warm up without falling behind on high school baseball’s biggest stage. Coach Schniers complimented his players heavily after the game in a full interview you can watch here:
“Kellan [Oliver] stepped up right into the fire and performed as he has all year long,” Head Coach Jason Schniers said of his pitcher. “He gave us a chance to win. He threw strikes. That’s the big thing. He threw strikes and let his defense work behind him. We were able to get some runs across the board and hold onto it.”
Offensively, the Hawks had to work for their production. Through the first two innings, Wall made solid contact, but Corpus Christs London’s defense was always in a position to make a play. That changed in the 3rd when the Hawks finally started to score.
“There were times we had opportunities to add runs, but you have to tip your cap to the guys over at London. We had five runs, and that doesn’t often happen against a team like that,” Schniers said. “I knew runs were going to be hard to come by, but luckily Caleb Braden’s hit at the end allowed us to score some insurance runs needed there at the end.”
Up 3-1 in the bottom of the 6th inning, Wall found themselves in trouble again. Oliver gave up a hit and then walked the following batter. Schniers made the move and switched to Dylan Gidney. The move ultimately paid off as the Hawks escaped another jam unscathed. In the 7th, Gidney continued to throw heat and struck out the first two batters. Then the calls stopped coming. Gidney walked the subsequent three batters to load the bases with two outs, leading by four.
Schniers made a visit to the mound before the final out.
“He was just finishing up in the zone, and the guy behind the plate was not going to give us that call,” Schniers said. “I just told him to relax, stay back up over the rubber, stay up and down, and get extended out. More than anything, though, just relax. Let our defense work for us. He did and managed to get the final out.”
Wall Hawks in their win over Corpus Christi London
(San Angelo LIVE! Photo/Ryan Chadwick)
Wall Hawks in their win over Corpus Christi London
(San Angelo LIVE! Photo/Ryan Chadwick)
Wall Hawks in their win over Corpus Christi London
(San Angelo LIVE! Photo/Ryan Chadwick)
Schniers has a final message for his team before the Championship Game on Saturday.
“It’s the same message I’ve given them all year long. Go and be us. We need to be us. Whatever [the game] throws at us, we need to be ready,” the coach said.
The Hawks face off against the Boyd Yellowjackets for the State Title on Saturday, June 10, at 9 a.m. Boyd walked off Maypearl in the bottom of the 7th inning in the early game on Friday. Boyd is one of the top-ranked teams in the state and deserves to be in this title game. The Hawks need to come prepared and play a perfect game if they hope to hoist that State Championship trophy tomorrow afternoon.
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