“I think we’ll make a run to the playoffs,” second baseman C.J. Reid said.
Right now, they’re certainly on track.
With Kevin Lock pitching a one-hitter and Reid hitting a three-run home run to lead Temple’s 11-1 win over Killeen Ellison on Tuesday night at Eagle Field, the Wildcats are tied for the district’s fourth and final playoff spot.
Temple coach Larry Haynes reminded his team after the win that no one expected much of the Wildcats (8-11 overall, 3-3 13-5A), who were figured to be buried near the district cellar.
But with an upset win over Belton to go with victories against Killeen Shoemaker and Ellison (3-19, 1-5), the Wildcats know they can’t afford to slip up now.
Temple will travel to 13-5A leader Bryan on Friday.
“Every game’s big in the district and you certainly can’t afford to stump your toe and we can’t (do that),” Haynes said. “We have big games coming up. We’ve got to try and stay in the hunt and we gave ourselves a chance tonight by winning the game.”
How are the Wildcats are in the hunt for a playoff spot? It’s been a combination of timely hitting and the left arm of junior Lock.
Fresh off a five-inning no-hitter against Shoemaker last week, Lock wasn’t exactly sharp Tuesday, walking six Eagles.
But he certainly was more than effective.
Lock (4-2) allowed just one hit - a fifth-inning double - to go with nine strikeouts.
Ellison scored its lone run when Lock walked in catcher Cameron Havens.
“I thought he did a good job . . . I don’t know if he was as sharp as he’s been,” Haynes said. “He certainly gets an ‘A’ from us.”
As for that other reason the Wildcats have won three of their last four games, Temple simply has finally gotten some timely hits to fall.
That’s something that didn’t happen earlier in the season, when the Wildcats dropped a pair of games to open district play.
Against Ellison, Temple’s offense had little trouble against Michael Reinhardt.
Temple jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first inning, keyed by a two-out, two-run double by Michael Lollman that scored Lock and Andrew Rayas.
The Wildcats added a pair in the fourth inning despite not hitting the ball very far out of the infield.
Reid blasted his three-run homer to left field for part of a five-run fifth that gave the Wildcats an 11-1 lead.
“We’re finally getting a couple hits to fall, then we had that ugly fourth inning where we scored two runs, but I don’t think got the ball out of the infield,” Haynes said. “We’ve given up some of those and today we were able to get one.”
Five Wildcats had at least one hit, including Reid and Abe Garcia, who had two each.
It’s that combination of timely hitting and solid pitching the Wildcats know they’ll need to continue in the second half of district.
“It’s up to us to be a lot better than 3-3 in the second half,” Haynes said. “We’ve got a big game in front of us with Bryan. They’re the leaders right now and they’ll be a tough chore, but we’re going to give it our best shot."
rschneider@temple-telegram.com
