With 2nd two game sweep Cats in region quarterfinals

The Cats won with another strong performance on the? mound and some timely hitting.

Summary ??

• On Saturday, Kennedale needed only the first game of a possible double header to win the series but it looked questionable in the beginning. Vernon, as the home team, got off to a fast start in the first inning, shutting out the Cats in the top of the 1st while scoring 2 runs in the bottom half to take an early 2-0 lead.?

• The Wildcats didn?t get a chance to respond until the top of the third when they balanced the score board with two runs of their own.?

• Kennedale followed that inning and laid a claim to the game with two unmatched runs in the fourth for a 4-2 score.

• Shutting down Vernon the rest of the game, the Wildcats added three more insurance runs in the top of the seventh.?

• Kennedale Wildcats went on to win the game 7-2 with the help of Wildcat Bryce Hackett who pitched a complete game, facing 28 batters in seven innings with 67 strikes on 92 pitches (.728). Hackett struck out 11 batters, walking one while allowing just 2 runs on 4 hits.?

• ?After a rough start in the 1st inning, Hackett faced no more than 4 batters in any of the remaining 6 innings including just 3 batters in three of those innings.

Vernon wanted to see less of Bryce Hacket (l) who shut down the Lions after the first inning and JD Padgett (r) who hit a single, double and a triple in the 7-2 win Saturday (photos: romeonsaenz.smugmug.com)

Wildcat scoring ??

• 3rd inning

• After letting Vernon take an early 2-0, the Cats settled into their game. The 3rd inning started off with promise as the first two Kennedale batters, Austin Crabtree and Cade Thompson walked. Reed Saenz started the action reaching on an error on a bunt that led to both Crabtree and Thompson scoring making the score 2-2.

• 4th inning

• JD Padgett, with one of his best games at the plate, started the inning with a triple. After a fly out, Crabtree singled on a bunt that scored Padgett. Following an out on strikes, Saenz singled to left field to score Crabtree to make the score 4-2 for the Wildcats.

• 7th inning?

• The Cats came out swinging, getting on base with a single by first batter Cade Thompson. After a fly out, Aaron Herrera doubled to left field moving Thompson to third. Then, after an intentional walk of Brandon Jones?by the Lions to load the bases, Bryce Hackett was hit by pitch on a 0-2 count which allowed Thompson to trot home. After a second out on an infield fly ball,?JD Padgett hit a double, scoring both Cameron Jones (courtesy runner) and Jace Warren (courtesy runner). A ground out ended the inning but not before the Cats had padded the scored with 3 runs to bring it to 7-2.

• Hackett closed out the game with a strikeout, a ground out and a pop out while allowing one hit against four batters.

• JD Padgett was hot at the plate for the Wildcats hitting a single,a double and a triple while going 3-4 with 2 RBIs and a run scored. Aaron Herrera was 2-4 including one double; Austin Crabtree was 1-2, 1 RBI plus 2 base on balls and 2 runs scored; Cade Thompson also was 1-2 with 2 walks and 2 runs scored.

• ?Also getting a hit was Reed Saenz who finished with 1 RBI and Bryce Hackett with a hit, 1 RBI and a walk.?

a look ahead ? from better to best

The playoffs start with the better teams from across the state playing each other.? But after the first two rounds, survivors will, with a few exceptions, face the best teams either by record or streaks that Texas 4A baseball has to offer.

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Kennedale (24-6-1, 12-0) will see one of the best this week in #3 Godley (25-1, 11-1). Godley was ranked #3 in the final THSBA 4A poll before the playoffs began and was either #3 or #4 all season long. Godley defeated Mineral Wells and Burkburnett in earlier playoff action. Their one loss game earlier in the regular season against Midlothian Heritage.

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The region quarterfinal game will be played this Thursday at Brewer High School (White Settlement ISD) at 7:30 p.m. This is a one time ?winner moves on? game as determined by a flip of a coin.

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Despite Godley’s ranking, this should be a good game to watch, paring one senior laden team against another. Kennedale and Godley have faced each other many times over the last several years, so they know each other well.? Of late, Godley has more often been the winner of the match-ups but the Godley Wildcats will be facing a Kennedale Wildcat team that has been playing its best ball of the season.?

2018 UIL Baseball State Champioships ? Region 1 & 3 Bracket