The Mason High School baseball team is returning the Class 2A playoffs after sweeping two District 28-2A opponents.
The Punchers beat San Saba 16-0 April 8 and 12-2 April 4 to complete the sweep after defeating Center Point 17-2 April 1 and 21-2 March 28. Mason lost to Harper 4-1 April 11.
'It was a good two weeks for the Punchers,' head coach Jay Immel said. 'We need to take care of business for seeding.'
Game one against the Armadillos was all about the plate production, he said.
'Our hitting was spot on that day with Hunter Bradley and Fisher Bradley and Matthew King,' he said.
'They hit very well. It was all-out with everyone hitting so well.'
Grant Nobles hit a double to left field to help drive the score to 15-0 by the end of the second inning.
Gustavo Valdez pitched four innings, while Trevor Loeffler threw the final inning.
'Gustavo pitched well,' the coach said. 'Neither got a whole lot of strikeouts. We played great defense, which is nice.'
San Saba was able to get a player on first base early in the contest, but the Punchers got a double play to end the threat.
'That took away their momentum,' Immel said.
In game one, Matthew King and Kalen Langehennig combined for 14 strikeouts.
'Those guys pitch well together,' the coach said.
'Kalen came in to get the hitter out. (Catcher) Fisher Bradley did well behind the plate. With 14 strikeouts, that means the catcher is doing the job well.'
Hunter Bradley and Trevor Loeffler got the job done in hitting.
'Hunter did well,' Immel said. 'Trevor had some good hits. He was on base every time. He did well. Ray Row had some big hits as well' Against Center Point April 1, Ray Row pitched three innings 'and pitched well,' the coach said. Grant Noble threw the final two innings.
Buell had five RBI, while Hunter Bradley and Kingston Garza have been more than effective at the plate.
'Hunter Bradley has been hitting the ball well. In the last seven games, he has a hitting streak through Johnson City,' Immel said. 'Slade came up with a couple of timely hits with the bases loaded. He hit a couple of doubles. Kingston has been hitting the ball well. He's been doing well.'
The loss to Harper came down to errors and hitting.
King was on the mound and allowed one earned run and had eight strikeouts in five innings.
'We had one bad inning,' Immel said. 'We had three errors, and the same player made all three. The errors came with two outs. They Row hit a RBI double while Hunter Bradley and Slade Buell also had hits.
'We couldn't finish,' the coach said. 'We had too many people left on base, and that's a stat you don't like to see.'
The Punchers welcome Harper Wednesday, April 16, with the junior varsity playing at 4:30 p.m. and the varsity at 6:30 p.m. The change is because of the Class 2A Region IV golf tournament, which was in Corpus Christi April 14-15.
Mason will play its final regular season home game against Junction at 6 p.m. Tuesday, April 22, where it will honor its seniors.
Immel has been in charge of the program for six years and has guided the Punchers to the playoffs every year.
'It's the ultimate goal to make it to the postseason,' he said.
