Trojan baseball faced Akins for game two this weekend, and both Anderson teams came out on top yet again. Varsity overpowered the Eagles by 11 runs on Friday, with a final score of 14-3. JV also took the dub, outscoring the Eagles, 10-0. The sweep over Akins this week has brought confidence for both teams, which will be critical against the Westlake Chaps in their upcoming games.
Bats were hot at Burger Field, where Varsity racked up 16 hits on the day. In contrast to Wednesday’s game, the team brought an offensive onslaught, especially in the second, fifth, and seventh innings. The game started off slow in the first, where the Trojans got three consecutive outs, but the second inning was a different story, with Ed Small driving in two runs off a single. A sac fly from Karsten Fidler allowed Jett Joseph to cross home, putting Anderson up 3-0 at the top of the inning. While the second was significant, it was nothing compared to the fifth, where the Trojans’ offensive firepower enabled them to notch six runs. Singles from Trevin Winebright, Ed Small, Andrew Mason, and Gus Begert — as well as a double from Rylan Unnasch — drove runs into the frame, so Anderson was up 10-2. Ultimately, Akins could not compete with the Trojan offense, especially after the seventh, when Anderson scored another four runs. The Eagles didn’t have many opportunities to get on base, either, with pitchers Will Hotz and Drew Mierl allowing only three hits combined. The dominant hitting and exceptional pitching led to an Anderson victory, 14-3.
On Saturday, Willie Wells Field was full of celebration, as JV pitchers Mac Magruder and Drew Donahue combined their efforts to shut out Akins a second time. Scoring opened up for the Trojans at the bottom of the first inning, when Dominic Bellavia homered on a hit to left field. A single from Bellavia drove in another run in the third, followed by a ground ball from Hayes Atkins. By the bottom of the fourth, the Trojans were up 4-0, and Akins was having a tough time getting on base. Anderson kept going, leading an offensive onslaught in the fifth inning, with six runs driven in by walks from Brady Fleming and Trae Lones, as well as a triple from Trey Snavely. Snavely gained three RBIs from his hit, since the bases were loaded, and closed out the game on an exciting note. The Trojans walked off the field with another shutout over the Eagles, 10-0.
Akins proved to be no match for Anderson’s teams, but the Westlake Chapparels may prove to be a different story. The Chaps’ varsity team is 1st in district, with a 5-0 record; overall this season, they are 20-1, with their only loss being to the New Braunfels Unicorns. It is important for the Trojans to walk onto the field ready to fight next week in order to have a shot at beating Westlake, and more than that, to have a chance at the playoffs.
