State semifinal preview: Dripping Springs faces tall task in hard-throwing, power-hitting Memorial
Tigers won't change their tried-and-true approach as they take on a Mustangs team that's won 22 games in a row
For the Dripping Springs baseball team, last weekend’s escape from the frying pan against Pharr-San Juan-Alamo has landed them squarely into the fire.
Houston Memorial, the Tigers’ opponent in this week’s 6A, Division 2 state semifinal series, hasn’t dropped a game in more than 2 months. Since Cypress Falls tamed the Mustangs 7-4 on March 10, Memorial has found another gear. Included in a 22-game winning streak are 8 straight playoff wins by a combined 67-8 score. Before Katy Tompkins scored 4 runs last week, the Mustangs had posted 3 straight shutouts and 22 straight scoreless innings.
Color Dripping Springs coach Chris Payne impressed, but not intimidated.
“We know they’re good. There’s no doubt about that,” Payne said. “We’re not going to change our approach at all.”
6A, Division 2 State Semifinal Series – Best of 3
All games at University of Houston’s Darryl & Lori Schroeder Park
Game 1: Thurs at 7 pm
Game 2: Friday at 7 pm
Game 3 (if needed): Saturday at 1 pm
Memorial’s pitching staff has been dominant all season, not just during the playoffs, where half of their wins have come by shutout. They also threw 9 shutouts in the regular season en route to winning District 17. As a staff, Memorial has posted a 1.60 earned run average, has registered 349 strikeouts in 236 innings, and opponents are batting just .177 on the season.
“They have the big names and the power arms,” Payne acknowledged.
The Mustangs’ top 3 pitchers are all committed to play at Power 4 colleges, led by senior lefty Matthew Manis and junior righty Grant Sperandio, both of whom are committed to the University of Texas. Senior Cash Scarborough, who missed some time earlier this season, is committed to Oklahoma State.
Sperandio (87 strikeouts in 56 innings, 10-1 record, 1.13 ERA) lights up the radar gun, ranging from 90-94 miles per hour on his fastball. He mixes in breaking pitches and a straight change in the low 80s. In his last start, a 4-0 win over Katy Tompkins, he was still throwing in the mid-90s in the 7th inning.
Manis (67 strikeouts in 43 innings, 7-0 record, 0.98 ERA) can also bring it. His fastball stays in the low 90s and he uses his slider effectively off of that in the low 80s.
Scarborough (50 strikeouts in 25 innings, 4-0 record, 1.11 ERA) throws harder than both and also sports a sweeping breaking ball and a cutter that keeps opposing hitters guessing.
So how do the Tigers expect to attack those arms? By using the same approach they’ve used all season and try to let the Mustangs’ velocity add to their power.
“We’re going to stick with our basics,” Payne said. “We need to shorten up our swing and get our hands to the baseball. We’re going to do what we do…use our small ball and try to manufacture some runs. We can’t try to do something we haven’t done before.”
Small ball proved timely last week in turning around a series against Pharr-San Juan-Alamo after the Tigers dropped the opener. In winning the final 2 games of the series, the Tigers bunted successfully – either for a sacrifice to move a runner or for a hit – 6 times, including a successful squeeze from cleanup hitter Anthony Delgado during the big game 3 rally.
Sam Branyon, Delgado, Breydan Madeley and freshman Cruz McBride all had big hits in the wins over PSJA and they’ll be key cogs in the lineup again, as will Bobby Wilkinson and Cade Sanders and Nixon Badilla. Along with Blake Cox, Sanders and injured shortstop Jason Steele are the only returners who started in last year’s state semifinal run, while Badilla and Bobby Wilkinson waited in the wings and capitalized on their opportunities to contribute.
Cox, Sanders and Badilla will need to continue to be key on the mound. Cox (14-0, save) figured in both wins last weekend as the Tigers stayed alive and will likely get the ball in Game 2, as he has in each of the first 4 playoff series. Sanders has been the Game 1 starter and Badilla has been versatile, often relieving Sanders while conserving enough pitches to be able to start Game 3.
Their primary objective: manage the baserunners when Memorial has them. Like the team approach at the plate, that’s been Payne’s message to his pitchers and defense throughout.
“As long as we manage the baserunners and we hit our spots, we feel good,” Payne said. “We’re not going to put any extra pressure on ourselves.”
Like PSJA, Memorial also has some hitters who can do some damage, especially at the top of the lineup, led by Evan Mauritzen (.495 average, 42 runs, 21 steals), Dillon Norris (.378, 3 HR, 25 RBI), Isaac Richardson (.340, 5 HR, 29 RBI, 38 runs), Ethan Baylis (.315, 5 HR, 33 RBI), and Tanner Drda (.480, 6 HR, 38 RBI). Sperandio isn’t in the batting order every day, but he’s hit well when given a chance with a .417 average and 28 RBI. The Mustangs have hit 23 home runs as a team.
“Those guys are free swingers, and when they put the bat on the ball, it’s impressive,” Payne said. “They get after it and try to attack you.”
Payne said Badilla’s recovered from the strep throat that went through the team last week and will be ready to go.
“We’re still without Steele (finger), and everyone else is kind of worn out and dealing with the nagging things you’ll see when you play this long,” Payne said. “But no one else is sick, and we’re managing things as best we can.”
Badilla battled his way into the 4th inning last Saturday and will be ready when called upon this weekend.
“They know what it takes,” Payne said. “They know the stick-to-it-iveness and grind that it takes to succeed at this point. We’re all privileged to be where we are. We’re going to stay consistent and enjoy the experience.”