The Hawks took an early 2-0 lead on the Southlake Carroll Dragons at Hawk Field on Saturday (April 25) as Thomas Hendrix singled home Brandon Clounch, who had doubled, and Bret Wurzbach who was on base via a walk. Hebron looked as if they were ready to end the o-fer streak against the Dragons this season.  Instead the only thing it ended was the day's offensive output as Southlake went on to beat the Hawks 6-2 and sweep the seasons series four games to none.

   Wurzbach opened on the mound for the Hawks and pitched well for the first 3-2/3 innings, and then as the Dragons tend to do, scored runs in bunches and closed the door on the Hawks effort.  Ryan Mohan came on in the final 2-1/3 innings and was a bright spot as he pitched well giving up no runs and no hits, while striking out one.

   -- Wayne Hendrix

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   Ace Brandon Clounch took the mound and threw seven strong innings, tossing 103 pitches. Clounch gave up only three hits while striking out six and walking four, without giving up any runs. Equally as impressive was the Hawk defense, putting forth an outstanding effort led by sophomore first baseman Brandon Delavar whose ESPN highlight unassisted double play in the 5^th inning ended the Farmers' biggest threat at that point in the game. The bases were loaded with Farmers and only one out when Lewisville’s number two hitter lined a shot right down the first base line which Delavar snagged and at the same time stepped on first base to  record the third out. Delavar’s highlight reel included two nice digs at 1B on less than perfect throws from his teammates.

   Baseball is a funny game as evidenced by Clounch’s effort on the mound, going seven deep and not getting the victory, however his double in the top of the 9^th inning brought home Cameron Bayles (2-4, 1 run) who had opened the frame with a single and moved to second on a text book bunt by Trent Madden (I told you this was the Hawks most FUNdametal game).  The Hawks' second run scored as Tim Wallace (1-4, 1 RBI) delivered an RBI with a single down the third base line. Wallace then completed the effort by pitching the last two innings closing out the win for the Hawks. It was without a doubt the Hawks best effort this season.

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   The Coppell Cowboys’ leadoff hitter opened the game with a double and later scored on a groundout, to take a 1-0 lead, then the Cowboys proceeded to round up 11 singles over the next four innings to corral the Hawks 11-2 at Hawk Field on Tuesday (April 21) and take the season series three games to none.

   The Hawks were not without opportunities. The team, as it has way too many times over the past several games, left the bases loaded in the second and third innings, and left runners at second and third with only one out in the forth inning. 

   The second inning turned out to be the only time the Hawks would score in the game as Thomas Hendrix dropped a double between the second basemen and the right fielder.  After a second out recorded via the K route, Brandon Delavar worked a very good at-bat for a base on balls, followed by an equally impressive at-bat by Hunter Clay, as his patience paid off for back-to-back walks and loaded the bases. Leadoff hitter Cameron Bayles followed with a sharp single to drive in the Hawks' runs and cut the Cowboy lead to 4-2.  Another walk loaded the bases again and the good guys had a great opportunity to get right back in the game, however the third strikeout of the inning ended the threat and the Hawks (not the Cowboys) rode quietly into the sunset.

   Equally as frustrating as the herd of singles by the Cowboys were the Hawk hitters going down on strikes 11 times and not being able to take advantage of seven free passes issued by Coppell pitching. 

   The line score read: Flower Mound JV 6 runs, 11 hits, and no errors.

   Just another day at the office for the Jaguars, as they took care of business against Hebron’s JV Black on Tuesday (April 14) at the Jag’s home. It was, however, another “taxing day” for your Hawks as their line score read something like my bank account 0 runs, 4 hits, and 2 mistakes.

   Sophomore Brandon Clounch took the mound and pitched well for the first four  frames, holding the strong-hitting Jags to only five hits, and two earned runs, once again keeping the Hawks in the contest. But with the Hawk bats nesting quietly in the dugout, the Jags broke it open in the fifth, starting with a solo homerun from pinch-hitter Connor Griffen, followed by three consecutive doubles scoring two more runs, and Clounch’s day came to an end.

   With Clounch doing all he could to keep the Hawks close, Flower Mound starter Raymond Blachette was doing all he could to keep the Hebron scoreless streak vs. Flower Mound alive.  The Hawks have not scored against the Jags' JV team this season in three games totaling 20 consecutive innings. Hebron had only 4 hits in the contest as Thomas Hendrix (2-3), Bret Wurzbach (1-2), and Cameron Bayles (1-3) accounted for all of the offense for the Hawks. Hebron's only threat came in the second inning, loading the bases with two outs; it was the only time all day a Hawk reached 3^rd base.

   The boys have one more shot at FM, when they visit Hawk Field Monday in the rescheduling of Friday's rainout.  The Jags are kinda like the IRS, you know they’re coming, not much you can do about it, it may not be pleasant, but you just might find that one loop hole that gets you a big return.

-- WAYNE HENDRIX

   The result of the JV Black contest with Marcus High School at Hawks Field on Thursday (April 9) left the near capacity hometown crowd scratching their heads in confusion as the Hawks played some very confusing baseball.

   For the first half of the game the boys in blue were very focused and seemed determined to make up for the loss to Marcus earlier in the week. Trailing 2-0 going into the bottom of the 2^nd inning, the Hawks went to work as cleanup hitter Bret Wurzbach worked a lead off walk, Thomas Hendrix reached base on an error by the Marauders shortstop, and one out later Travis Koch continued his torrid hitting pace with a double to the wall in left-center that scored both runners.

   Brandan Delavar and Hunter Clay then walked and, with the bases loaded, Cameron Bayles took a fastball to the back and the Hawks were up 3-2.  Start scratching your head now, because bases loaded one out Hebron could not tally another run. Then came the 3^rd inning, 2 walks and a hit batsman gave the Hawks bases loaded with one out. But two strikeouts ended the inning without a run crossing the plate. In the fourth, the team loaded the bases again after three consecutive two-out walks, and then. . .a strikeout, albeit a tough call made by the home plate umpire. The Hawks left the bases loaded three times in three straight innings. Worse, they struck out 13 times.

   Wait, nobody said to stop scratching yet; the defense, after holding the Marauders to two runs in 3 innings, gave up 11 runs in the last 3 innings.  How does that happen?  Some 15 hits and 11 fielding errors, that’s how.

   The JV Black Hawks returned to the familiar confines of Hawk Field on Saturday (April 4) after a disappointing loss at Southlake, to play a non-district contest against Wichita Falls Rider.  Junior Bret Wurzbach took the mound hoping to stop the Hawks’ two-game losing streak.  Wurzbach was unhittable early, recording strikeouts for seven of the first eight outs, but still the Hawks trailed 4-0 going to the bottom of the third inning.  Timely hitting by the Raiders produced the seemingly comfortable lead.

   The starting time was moved up to accomodate WF Rider prom dates who were waiting back in Wichita Falls. Well, it wasn't the Hawks' prom and so the boys in blue weren't ready to roll over and let the Raiders head home. Brandon Clounch (2-3, double) got the comeback started in the third inning with a double, Bret Wurzbach singled and Thomas Hendrix (1-3, 2 RBI) doubled to drive home two and cut the Raiders lead in half.

    Koch, who had relieved Wurzbach in the 6^th inning, got the win.

   Hunter Clay took the mound for JV Black and pitched better than the results indicate.  The umpires arrived late and the game began with only an ump at home plate.  With a strike zone that was wide at times and “shoebox” at others, Clay was forced to adjust his pitches, three walks, five bloop hits, and a Hawk miscue led to seven early runs in the first 2 innings.

   JV Black hitters have struggled in all three games against Dragon pitching, going down in order the first time through the lineup.  Hebron finally broke into the scoring column in the 4^th inning, as leadoff batter Cameron Bayles opened with a base on balls, then moved up on a Trent Madden infield single. After a fly out and a ground out, Thomas Hendrix stroked a single to drive in the lone Hebron run. That was it for the Hawks as they went down in order in the 5^th and 6^th innings.

   The JV Black Hawks are bound and determined to slay the Green Dragon some time in the near future, as they made a valiant effort on Tuesday (March 31) at Hawk Field.

   The Hawks trailed 7-0 at one point to the Southlake Carroll Dragons, but mounted a comeback in the 6^th and 7^th innings only to fall short, 7-5.  Hebron was very much in the game through 5 innings, thanks to the very steady pitching of Brandon Clounch.  Pitching out of a first inning jam, which yielded two unearned runs, Clounch held the heavy-hitting Dragons to only one additional run through 5 innings.

   Southlake opened the 6^th with a double, a walk, a single for one run, and a near perfect bunt to load the bases.  With no outs and a Dragon at every base Clounch felt the fire, and was able to entice the ground ball the Hawks were looking for, however the defense could only get one out.  The next hitter got the same result; ground ball, only one out.  On came Ryan Mohan to relieve Clounch, and after a Dragon triple, Mohan needed only 13 pitches to close out four straight Southlake batters in the 6^th and 7^th innings, recording 2 strikeouts.

   As for the Hawk offense which was beginning to show signs of consistency in recent games, it took a few innings to get out of park.  Southlake Carroll’s Kyle Bailey held the Hawks hitless until the 4^th inning when catcher Thomas Hendrix (2-3, 1 run, sac fly) led off with a single, followed by a Cameron Bayles single in the gap. After a mix up on the base path, Bayles was caught in a run down and Hawks' threat ended.

   Brandon Delavar (2-3, double, 1 RBI) got the Hawk rally started in the 6^th inning with a single and moved to second on a Dragon miscue.  Hendrix moved the runner to third with a sac fly deep to right field. Bayles walked and right fielder Travis Koch, nursing a strained quad, legged out a triple to right field delivering the Hawks' first two runs.

   The Hawk rally continued into the 7^th inning as leadoff hitter Kyle Trammell, who had walked twice already in the contest, was issued a free pass again.  Hebron’s rally was slowed by back-to-back K’s, until cleanup hitter Delavar stroked a double down the left-field line scoring Trammell.  Hendrix followed with his second hit, and Bayles drilled a double scoring 2 runs and the Hawks were flying. Hunter Clay’s hard shot stabbed by the pitcher ended the rally and the game; however the guys displayed a never-quit attitude and that will carry forward into Friday’s (April 3) rematch with those pesky lizards.

-- WAYNE HENDRIX

   The Hawks, needing one run to send Lewisville to the showers, opened the 6^th inning with a base on balls to Wurzbach, followed by an inside pitch to Delavar, which he won’t forget too soon, a perfectly executed sac bunt by Clay, and an intentional walk to Hendrix loaded the bases.  Koch then hit a shot down the third base line. With the Farmer defense playing in, Wurzbach was forced at home, But the ensuing throw pulled the first baseman off the bag. Ryan Mohan, running for Delavar, made a heads up play and headed for home beating the return throw home for the running run.

- Wayne Hendrix

   JV Black pounded out 14 hits against district foe Lewisville, built a big lead and hung on late to win their first district game of the season 11-8 at Farmers Field in Lewisville on Tuesday (March 24).  The win improved the Hawks record to 1-4 in district and 5-6 overall.

   The Hawks jumped on the Lewisville starting pitcher in the first as Trent Madden singled and Brandon Clounch doubled him home.  A walk to Brandon Delavar was followed by a two-out, two-run double by Hunter Clay and the Hawks had an early 3-0 lead.

   With two outs in the second inning, Tim Wallace singled and scored on a Delavar double to increase the Hawk lead to 4-0.  The Farmers plowed back into the game with a three-run triple off the bat of Justin Bedo bringing the score to 4-3.

   Hebron responded in the top of the 4^th inning sending all nine batters to the plate. Thomas Hendrix (3-3, 1 run) opened the frame with a double to deep center, Chase Gohl singled, Madden hit into a fielders choice and Clounch walked to load the bases. Wallace (2-3, 2 runs, 3 RBI), tripled home all three clearing the bases. Wallace later scored on a unique steal of home as the Farmer defense threw to first base and second base attempting to pick off Hawk base runners as Wallace scampered down the line.

   The good guys added three much-needed runs in the 5^th inning as Hendrix opened the frame with a bad hop single over shortstop. Gohl moved Hendrix to second with a textbook sacrifice bunt.  Leadoff hitter Cameron Bayles singled to put runners on second and third, Madden then singled home both runners. Brenden Limerick completed the Hawk attack with an RBI single and JV Black took an 11-3 lead to the bottom of the inning.

   Safe lead? Not quite, as the Farmers sent 10 men to the plate, capitalizing on a double, a single, two walks, and a Hawk error to score five runs - that before Coleman McKinney struck out the final Lewisville batter to end the treat and the game.

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   After seven home games to start the season, the JV Black baseball team travelled to Coppell March 20 to play their first road game and discovered home is where the heart is, and apparently the hits, and the runs as well.

   The Hawks lost to the Cowboys 14-2, to drop to 0-4 in district.  In what is becoming a trend through their four district games, the games are much closer than the final score. The Hawks have been giving up runs late in games that were tight through 4, 5, or 6 innings.

   Thursday’s contest started well for the boys in blue as leadoff hitter Daniel Flores singled, stole second, went to third on a grounder to the second baseman and scored on a Cameron Bayles' sacrifice fly. The well manufactured run gave Hebron the lead that extended into the bottom of the third inning.

   A Hawk error, two singles, a walk, and a sac fly gave the Cowboys a 4-1 lead.  Hebron came back in the forth inning to score a run off an unusual Coppell miscue and a wild pitch. The Hawks entered the bottom of the inning trailing only 4-2 and very much in the game.

   That’s where it fell apart for the Hawks as four Hebron pitchers combined to surrender six free passes and hit a batter, and in all gave up 10 runs as Coppell sent 14 batters to dish.

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LISD Tournament Recap……….

Game one was played on Thursday March 19 at Hawk field to open the tournament.  The Hawks took on the Frisco Fight’n Raccoons and got back on the winning track with an easy 10-1 win.

Junior Coleman McKinney had an outstanding pitching performance, shutting down the first 7 Frisco batters in order, while striking out 4 in 3 1/3 innings.  He gave up only one hit and one unearned run to even his record at 1-1.  Travis Koch pitched 1-2/3 innings of solid relief to close out the game.

The Hawk offensive made the most of six Raccoon blunders, and four free passes to score five of their 10 runs. Trent Madden and Tim Wallace were both 2-3, with 2 RBI each to lead the Hawks, with Madden scoring all three times he reached base.

Game two for the young birds was a late night clash with district fun killer Flower Mound.  Junior Bret Wurzbach, lending a hand from the varsity squad, took the mound and for 6-1/3 strong innings shut down the very strong hitting Jaguars; holding them to only six hits and one run. Flower Mound tallied four runs in the top of the 7^th inning on a triple, two singles and two Hebron miscues to take a 5-0 lead to the bottom of the 7^th.

The Hawks could only manage a late inning lead off single by Kyle Trammell, also on loan from varsity, as five Jaguars pitchers combined to set down 11 Hawks via the K route. Final score: FM 5, Hawks 0.  The loss dropped JV Black to 3-4 on the season.

Game three of the tournament was played on Saturday against the Keller JV Indians. This was definitely a team the Hawks matched up well against, however the game’s leadoff hitter reached on an error, followed by a pair of singles and back-to-back walks opened the door for Keller hitter Greg Dobb to send a fastball over the left field fence for a grand slam and 5-0  Indians lead. Junior Hunter Clay came in to pitch relief in the second inning and pitched five good innings, giving up an additional 3 runs on only 4 hits, allowing the Hawk offense to mount a comeback, scoring in the third, forth, and sixth innings before falling to Keller 8-6.

The Hawks offense was lead by Thomas Hendrix and Hunter Clay, each going 1-2, with 2 runs scored. Brandon Delavar collected a triple and RBI to lead the Hawks’ three run 4^th inning rally to get back in the game. 

Game four and the final game in the LISD Tournament was played on Saturday night.  JV Black played the Lake Highlands Wildcats wanting to even their tournament record at 2-2. 

Kyle Trammell lead off the game with a single and proceeded to steal second and third and then scored on a throwing error on the Wildcats catcher to open the game for the Hawks.  Still in the first inning, walks to Trent Madden and Bret Wurzbach set up Hebron’s second run on a Brandon Clounch sac fly to left field scoring Madden. Catcher Thomas Hendrix followed with an RBI single and the Hawks were flying.  A leadoff double in the second inning by Jae Mo Hwang created an opportunity for the Hawks to stretch their lead to 4-0 as Jae Mo scored on an RBI ground out by shortstop Cameron Bayles.

    The Coppell Cowboys rode into Hawk Field on Tuesday and pranced away with a win, branding the Hawks with their second straight district defeat.

   There were some eerie similarities to the game last week against Flower Mound - both starting pitchers for Hebron pitched well enough to win, both games were tight into the fifth inning, both starting pitchers for the opposition were named Hunter (that came out of left field), and in both games the Hawks were blown away in the late innings. 

   Sophomore starting pitcher Brandon Clounch overcame a leadoff triple and an error resulting in a opening 1-0 deficit before everyone had settled into their seats, to pitch four strong innings, giving up only four additional hits while striking out seven.  He left the game at the end of the fourth inning with Hebron trailing 3-1 and still very much in the game. Three Hawk relievers did not fair as well the rest of the way, allowing 12 Cowboy runs on 10 hits, including a 3-run dinger by Coppell’s Nick Martinez in the fifth inning that blew the game open.

   Cowboy starting pitcher Hunter Boyle gave up just six hits in 5 1/3 innings, while fanning eight Hawks.  Bright spots on offense included Trent Madden (2-4, 1 run, 2 steals) and Cameron Bayles (2-4, 2 RBI).  Hunter Clay almost made the near capacity crowd at Hawk Field cheer when he drove a pitch deep down the line and out of the park, only to have the ball curve just foul.  Good news, the boys have another day to play baseball, and that will be Thursday as they open play in the LISD tournament at Hawk Field, starting at noon and finishing the day with an 8pm game.

---Wayne Hendrix

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   The JV Black Hawks opened their 2009 district schedule against rival Flower Mound, finding themselves on the wrong end of a 10-0 score.

   The team seemed determined and ready to put behind the disappointment of the lopsided loss they took in the championship game of the Hebron JV Classic, especially when the Hawks trailed the Jaguars just 1-0 through four innings.

   The lone Flower Mound run coming via a lead off infield single and throwing error allowing the runner to third, and a two-out base hit in the first inning.

   Starter Tim Wallace (1-1) allowed just three earned runs, and spread out six hits while striking out three and walking four over five innings on work. Flower Mound pitcher, lefty Hunter Miller, kept the Hawks on their heels all evening.  Miller fired five strong innings, allowing just a fourth-inning single to Wallace with two out. He finished with nine strikeouts, including fanning the side in both the third and fourth innings.

   Among the Hawks’ highlights was an outstanding defensive play in the first inning when right fielder Daniel Flores made a catch and came up firing to third to nail a runner trying to advance. Another came when catcher Thomas Hendrix, playing after being diagnosed with a kidney stone, gunned a would-be base-stealer trying to swipe third base in the second inning.

   The Hebron defense also turned a 5-4-3 double play in the third after a lead-off walk.

--Wayne Hendrix

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   To say the JV Black Hawks were a little anxious to open the 2009 Baseball Season might have been an understatement. After watching the Hawks Varsity open with a 5-0 record and a tournament championship - and JV Blue open their season with a big win - JV Black needed to get on the field and get-r-done. And that's what they did, crushing Creekview JV Mustangs 17-1 in just three innings in their first game of the Hebron JV Classic Thursday (March 5).

   The Hawks took a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning; Cameron Bayles scored on a Trent Madden double. Madden and pinch-runner Hunter Clay scored on a single by Travis Koch.  The boys added 11 runs in a blow out second inning, which the Hawks took advantage of four walks, and seven hits, including two singles by Daniel Flores, and a triple by starting pitcher Tim Wallace.

   Speaking of pitching…WOW; Wallace took the mound and after giving up a free pass to the leadoff hitter, recorded every out with a strikeout: 3 innings, 9 outs, 9 K’s. Wallace gave up only 2 hits, and 1 unearned run.

   Major contributions on offense were made by Cameron Bayles (3 runs, 2 RBI), Trent Madden (4 RBI), Travis Koch (2 runs, 3 RBI), and Daniel Flores (2-2, 2 runs, 1 RBI).

- Thanks to Wayne Hendrix for this report