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In the first weekend of their 2016-2017 season, the Knights (2-1-1) tasted victory, defeat and that rarest of baseball dishes–the taste of a game then ended in a tie.  At their annual trip to Fredericksburg to open the season, the defending district and bi-district champs dropped their opener to Fredericksburg, then tied Wimberley until finally scratching out wins over Burnet and

GAME ONE: Fredericksburg 3, McCallum 2

The Knights kicked off the varsity baseball season in Frederickburg on Friday afternoon with a 3-2 loss to the host Battlin’ Billies. Before the first pitch, Adam Vasquez and Cameron Stahl (’17) offered some encouragement to starting pitcher Jesse Reed (’17), who struck out 10, yielding only one earned run over six innings. The Knights played small ball to take the lead with two runs in the top of the sixth. After a double by Tyler Page (’17), Davis Roe (’18) entered the game as a pinch runner. After sacrifice bunts by Luke Whitefield and Ben Wangrin (’17), a sac fly by Eric Worden (’18) and a Billie error, the Knights led, 2-1. In the bottom of the sixth, however, the Billies plated two unearned runs that proved decisive in the game.

GAME TWO: McCallum 7, Wimberley 7 (tie)

In the first of two games they played on Saturday, the Knights battled the Wimberley Texans to a 7-7 tie. Both teams busted out the lumber, and both rallied from three-run deficits. Koehler Vandament (’18) doubled to drive in two runs, and Ben Wangrin (’17) went 3-for-4 with an RBI. Cameron Stahl (’17) had two hits and a run batted in four at-bats.

GAME THREE: McCallum 9, Burnet 6

The Knights defeated Burnet 9-6 on Saturday afternoon at the Fredericksburg tournament to earn their first win of the season. Mason Bryant (’18) slugged a two-run home run, and Luke Whitefield (’17) went 3-for-4 as winning pitcher Eric Worden (’18) struck out five. Worden also helped himself out at the plate with two runs batted in. Tyler Page (’17) had two hits in four at bats.

GAME FOUR: McCallum 3, Antonian 2

Adam Vasquez must have earned the game ball from Coach Houston after the senior earned his first win of the season, giving up no earned runs and walking only one over six-plus innings. Vasquez was also the offensive star of the game, going 2-for-3 and driving in the game-winning run. He hit the last of three consecutive RBI singles in the fourth inning to give the Knights the 3-2 lead they held throughout the game. Ben Wangrin (’17) and Eric Worden (’18) preceded Vasquez’s knock with RBI singles of their own following an Antonian error that kept the inning alive.

NOTEWORTHY:

Congrats to baseball alum Jonah Smith (’16) for earning his first collegiate win on Saturday. The Abilene Christian hurler pitched 3 1/3 scoreless inning in a 4-1 win over North Dakota State.