GLEN ROSE, TX — The Wall Hawks entered the Area Round Playoff matchup against the Bowie Jackrabbits with a last-minute change of plans. Due to incoming storms that are supposed to hit Texas hard this weekend, Game 1 kicked off two hours early, with Game 2 following close behind.
The Hawks sprinted out front to start the game with two runs in the first inning. The Jackrabbits battled back in the top of the second, but Wall would not be denied. Clutch defense and solid pitching from Wall saw the Hawks allow only a single run throughout the contest. Offensively, Wall hit the ball early and often. They added two more runs in the third, two in the fourth, and four more in the fifth.
Gunnar Dillard capped the scoring off in the bottom of the fifth inning with a 400-foot, 3-run shot over dead-center to put the Hawks up 10-1. After holding Bowie on defense in the 6th, Wall won the game after a passed ball scored a runner at third base. Wall took Game 1 by run rule, 11-1.
2023 Area Champions Wall Hawks
(San Angelo LIVE! Photo/Ryan Chadwick)
2023 Area Champions Wall Hawks
(San Angelo LIVE! Photo/Ryan Chadwick)
2023 Area Champions Wall Hawks
(San Angelo LIVE! Photo/Ryan Chadwick)
2023 Area Champions Wall Hawks
(San Angelo LIVE! Photo/Ryan Chadwick)
2023 Area Champions Wall Hawks
(San Angelo LIVE! Photo/Ryan Chadwick)
After a 30-minute break, both teams retook the field to do it all over again. Now the visiting team, the Hawks, stepped up to bat first. Wall jumped out to a considerable lead with six runs in the first inning. After a double, an error by the Jackrabbits allowed Wall to score two runs. Later in the inning, designated hitter Will Scherr stepped up to the plate with the bases loaded. Faced with a 3-1 count, Scherr launched a bomb to left field for a Grand Slam.
Wall added one run in the third, two more in the fourth, and a final run in the fifth inning to take a 10-0 lead. Defensively, Kellen Oliver and Audgen Hallmark combined for a shutout in Game 2. While Bowie put the ball into play and put runners on base, the Hawks always made a play when needed to keep the goose egg on the scoreboard. Wall wins the doubleheader 11-1, 10-0, and are 2023 Area Round Champions.
San Angelo LIVE!’s Ryan Chadwick met up with Head Coach Jason Schniers after the game to discuss his team’s dominating performance. Check out the full interview here:
The Wall Hawks claimed the Area Title against the same Bowie team that knocked the Hawks out of the Regional Quarterfinal a season ago. Next up, Wall will face the winner between Blanco High School and Jacksboro High School in the Regional Quarterfinal. Blanco currently leads the series 1-0. Date, time, and location for the Regional Quarterfinal are still to be determined.
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