Badgers top Rangers on Senior Night
By JEREMY HEATH Staff Writer

PHOTO BY RICHARD AKRIDGE Junior third baseman Chance Vann recorded the final two outs of the Badgers' 7-4 win over Vista Ridge.

From the time the Badgers jumped out to a 1-0 lead on the first-inning Cody Bailey home run to the time Chance Vann recorded the final out with a strong throw from third to first, there was something different about the Lampasas High School baseball team on Tuesday.

The Badgers (6-21 overall, 3-10 in District 25-4A) beat playoffbound Cedar Park Vista Ridge (10-3 in district) in every aspect of the game in a 7-4 win at Badger Field. A team that has been plagued all season by breakdowns in different areas of the game put it all together on what was the final home game for the five LHS seniors.

"On Senior Night, you have to leave it all on the field," said Bailey, who finished 3 for 4 with a home run, a double and three runs scored. "We all just played as a team."

The Badgers outhit the Rangers 8-5 and backed up pitcher Kyle Landry with some outstanding defensive plays.

"We kept our heads in the game," LHS head coach Brian McBeth said. "We played hard, and we scratched and fought and did all the things we were supposed to do. We had key hits with runners in scoring position and played aggressive. I told the kids it's the best game I've seen them play in two years."

First baseman Bailey, shortstop Justin Rainwater, catcher Coleton Lucas, and pitchers Landry and Stetson Magilke all suited for the final time at home. Four of the five made major contributions, with Magilke relegated to a pinch-hitting role because Landry was on the mound and Bailey has been swinging a hot bat.

Landry, who took a 2-0 loss at Vista Ridge March 28, held the second place Rangers scoreless through three innings while his team built a 3-0 lead.

Rainwater led off the second inning with a home run of his own, and Bailey doubled and scored on a Lucas single in the third.

The Rangers, spurred by two Badger errors, put up four runs in the top of the fourth to take a 4-3 advantage, but the Badgers got the run back in the bottom half of the inning. Vann, who had committed one of the miscues in the top of the inning, redeemed himself. After getting plunked by a Mike Zouzalik curve ball, Vann stole second, advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on a passed ball.

The Rangers were poised to take a 5-4 lead in the fifth frame when Robbie Shaffer walked and Jesse Martinez -- who hit a homer off Landry at Vista Ridge -- stepped to the plate, but Lucas and Landry killed the threat. Lucas gunned down Shaffer trying to steal second, and Landry struck out Martinez after the slugger had worked the count full.

"It's hard to single out any one play, because I see almost every single play as pivotal," Lucas said. "You have to get 21 outs to win, and you have to make pretty good plays to get all of them. We just played as a team tonight, and it felt good.

"We finally played with confidence, and it made a difference."

The Badgers would put the game away in the bottom of the fifth, placing a crooked number on the scoreboard after four straight 1s.

Landry led off with a double, moved to third on a Bailey single and scored on a wild pitch. Bailey moved to third on the wild pitch and scored on a Cody Singleton single, and Rainwater capped the three-run frame by walking and stealing a base before eventually scoring on a wild pitch.

Landry went the distance on the mound for LHS, allowing two earned runs and striking out four. He allowed two runners to reach in the bottom of the seventh, but Vann helped him close out the game by making a tough catch on a foul pop, and scooping a one-hopper and making a strong throw to first.

"It just felt different tonight," Rainwater said. "Everyone seemed to play with so much confidence. I know I felt confident."

The Badgers close their season on the road against Dripping Springs at 7 p.m. today.