Badgers give Rangers all they can handle
Vista Ridge 2, Lampasas 0
Landry lights out again; LHS hitters leave too many runners in scoring position
By JEREMY HEATH Staff Writer

PHOTO BY RICHARD AKRIDGE LHS senior pitcher Kyle Landry has allowed just five total runs in 12 innings against the top two teams in District 25-4A (Lake Travis and Vista Ridge) but has lost both games.

CEDAR PARK - The Lampasas High School baseball team is making a habit of playing well against good teams on the road.

Just not quite well enough to win.

Much like the Badgers' 3-2 loss at Austin Lake Travis on March 18, Friday night's 2-0 loss at Vista Ridge featured a strong pitching performance from Kyle Landry and rock-solid defensive play. The Badgers even slapped the ball around a little bit, registering seven hits.

What they didn't do was hit the ball with runners in scoring position. They stranded every one of those runners, including two in the seventh inning after getting runners on first and third with no outs.

"We did a lot of good things, but you'd rather win those games like that," LHS head coach Brian McBeth said. "When you get runners in scoring position, you've got to get them in. The kids looked good defensively and looked good at the plate, and Kyle threw another great game.

"When you outhit a team, outpitch a team and play better defense, you've got to find a way to win."

The Badgers (1-5 in District 25- 4A) are scheduled to play host to Dripping Springs at 7 p.m. today.

Landry, who took a 2-1 lead into the seventh inning at district-leader Lake Travis (6-0 in district), allowed just three hits against Vista Ridge (5-1) on Friday, striking out five and walking just one.

Since district play started, Landry has a team-leading 2.86 ERA. In 14 innings, he has struck out 14 and walked just five, but he has been strapped with two losses.

In six district games, the Badgers have left 66 runners on base, an average of 11 per game.

Against Vista Ridge, Ryan Abbott went 2 for 3, and Coleton Lucas, Stephen Eskola and Nick Cummings went 1 for 2. Cody Bailey and Landry went 1 for 3.

McBeth plans to start Stetson Magilke tonight against Dripping Springs. After a slow start to the season, Magilke has produced two solid outings in district play, including a quality start in the team's 8-7 win at Pflugerville Connally.

"We need another good pitching performance if we're going to have a chance to beat a good team tonight," the coach said. "We need all our pitchers to throw the ball the way Kyle has been throwing it.

"The reason he's been successful is because he hasn't been walking a lot of hitters."

The Badgers are 0-2 at home in district play. They lost to Burnet, 11-4, on March 14 and to Pflugerville Hendrickson, 10-0, last Tuesday.

"We just need to come out and play a good game at home," McBeth said. "I don't think we've played a good game at home all year. Playing at home should be an advantage. We just need to play a good game here."