Monday, April 29, 2024
Gatesville baseball dropped a 12-4 decision to top-ranked China Spring on April 5 - then had their scheduled series-opener against Connally rained out on April 9.
The Hornets and Cadets met at Connally on April 11, then again in Gatesville on April 12.
In their loss to the Cougars – the state’s No. 1 ranked 4A team – the Hornets fell behind 8-0 before battling back in the top of the fifth inning.
After John Ibarra single walks from Sean Aguilar and Lawson Mooney, Bralen Veazey double to right driving in three runs. Bradey James followed with a double – his second of the night – to score Veazey and make the score 8-4.
The loss puts the Hornets at 2-2 in district as they head into a series with the 0-4 Cadets. China Spring sits atop the league standings at 4-0 with Salado currently in second at 4-1. The Eagles dropped their first district contest 5-3 against Robinson on April 9. The Rockets are 3-2 in district, while La Vega is also 0-4.
Following their series with the Cadets, Gatesville will take on Salado then finish the regular season with two games against La Vega. Last season, Gatesville split with the Eagles, and another split in 2024 would likely put the Hornets in the drivers seat for the number two seed out of 23-4A in the playoffs. Gatesville finished fourth in the standings in 2023 before advancing to the regional quarterfinals.
Veazey currently leads the Hornets in hitting with a .373 average and an OBP of .500. He has homered twice and has driven in a team-high 18 runs this season. Sophomore Miles Tull is hitting .317, while Mooney is hitting .309 on the year. Tull has scored 19 runs from his spot at the top of the Hornets lineup and has been hit by a pitch seven times.
