Behind a stellar performance on the mound from senior Sam Stevens, the varsity baseball team defeated Westlake 5-3 on March 2.
Flirting with a complete-game shutout, Stevens pitched six innings, giving up only four hits, allowing no earned runs and striking out five Chaps.Senior Nico Sanchez pitched the seventh, striking out three and stranding three to end the game and give the Knights the win against a team that was ranked No. 6 among 6A teams at the time.
Going into the game, Stevens felt prepared because he had played Westlake the previous three years and knew what beating them after the Knights felled them in 2021. He also felt confident after his performance in the team’s previous games in which he put up impressive stats.
“I knew that if I would attack the strike zone and challenge the hitters, my team would have my back on defense, and that’s exactly what happened,” Stevens said.
To start the game, Stevens gave up a hit and a walk in the first inning, leading to two runners on base without any outs. He escaped that troubling inning without giving up any runs. He believes that the escape made the eventual victory much more likely..
I knew that if I would attack the strike zone and challenge the hitters, my team would have my back on defense, and that’s exactly what happened.
— senior starting pitcher Sam Stevens
He credited pitching coach Steve Searle with providing in-game guidance that helped keep him level-headed. The words of wisdom helped him stay poised and trust that his team was behind him.
“Coach Searle has coached me for four years, so he knows me well,” Stevens said. “He gave a small piece of advice and told me to stay within myself and not try to do too much.”
Throughout the game, there was some talking between the two teams and both were fired up. Stevens was proud of how his team stayed focused and put their all into the game.
Despite Stephens heroics on the mound, the Knights trailed 1-0 after five innings. The Chaps plated an unearned run in the fourth.
Mac put a five-spot on the board in the top of the sixth. After Sanchez was hit by a pitch and senior Nathan Nagy and Stevens drew walks, Sanchez and Nagy scored on passed balls, and John Dietz drew a third walk in the inning.
CJ Willie delivered the big blow, an opposite field single to right with two outs for the only hit in the five-run sixth inning to drive home Dietz and Cox and make it 5-1.
After Dietz stole second, Charlie Cox was intentionally walked to load the bases with one out. Lupe Ruedas drew a walk for the sixth free pass of the inning to bring home Stevens and keep the bases loaded. CJ Willie delivered the big blow, an opposite field single to right with two outs for the only hit in the inning to drive home Dietz and Cox and make it 5-1.
Stevens in the bottom of the sixth and then Sanchez in the seventh made the four-run lead hold up.
“Winning a big game like that is exhilarating,” Stevens said, “and I wanted to embrace that feeling.”
