The Taylor Ducks varsity baseball team’s tough start to the season continued with an 8-1 home loss to Texans Varsity Homeschool.
Taylor struggled on both sides of the ball, finishing with five hits and committing four errors in the contest. The Ducks also battled control issues on the mound with nine walks, which allowed the Texans to capitalize on scoring opportunities throughout the game.
Freshman pitcher Julian Gomez took the loss for Taylor after pitching 3.2 innings. Gomez allowed six runs on three hits while issuing six walks.
Despite the early deficit, Taylor’s bullpen helped stabilize the game. Junior Mario Newman, freshman Braedon Valdez and sophomore Chance Michna combined to pitch the final 3.1 innings, allowing two runs while limiting the Texans to three walks and keeping additional damage to a minimum.
Taylor’s lone run came in the bottom of the second inning. After loading the bases, sophomore utility player Tayden Talley was hit by a pitch, which forced in a runner and tied the game at 1-1.
The Ducks held the Texans scoreless through the third inning, but the game shifted in the fourth as Texans Varsity Homeschool broke it open with a five-run frame.
The rally began when what could have been a double play turned into a run after a fielding error by Talley, giving the Texans a 2-1 lead. The visitors continued to apply pressure at the plate, adding a three-RBI double followed by an RBI single to extend the advantage to 6-1.
Taylor’s offense struggled to respond, going down in order in both the fourth and fifth innings.
Meanwhile, the Texans added two insurance runs later in the game, scoring once on a strikeout that got past the catcher and again on an RBI single.
Walks proved to be a major factor throughout the contest. Although the Ducks recorded five hits compared to the Texans’ six, Taylor issued nine walks and committed multiple defensive miscues, allowing the Texans to consistently create scoring opportunities.
Offensive production has been a challenge for the Ducks early in the season. Through the opening stretch of games, Taylor is averaging just over 3.5 runs per contest as it continues to search for consistency at the plate.
The Ducks looked for a spark on offense when they took on Lampasas on Tuesday before closing the series on Friday, March 13. First pitch for Friday’s game is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. at Lampasas High School.
