Belton will try to stay alive in the chase for the district title, while Bryan will seek to clinch the league crown when they square off at 7 p.m. today at Tiger Field.
Both teams have secured playoff berths. The Tigers (22-3 overall, 8-2 in 13-5A) must win tonight and in their regular-season finale Monday at College Station A&M Consolidated, and hope the Vikings (23-3, 9-0) stumble in one of their final two games next week, to have a shot at the title.
“I know what they’re thinking about. They’re trying to clinch the district championship at our place,” Belton coach David Tidwell said. “I heard some of our kids say, ‘Not at our house. Not this time.’”
The last time these teams met, on March 25, the Tigers were stymied by Vikings pitcher Sean Weatherford (6-1) in a 4-0 loss at Bryan. Belton’s inability to hit wasted a valiant effort by Tigers hurler Dillon Newman (8-1).
“They got three timely hits and we didn’t get any,” Tidwell said. “I thought we played with them pitch by pitch, but they got the hits they needed to get.”
Both teams will hand the ball to different pitchers tonight.
The Tigers will send to the mound junior sidearm specialist Nick Wright (7-2), who has a 1.38 earned-run average and 60 strikeouts.
“Nick can get through the order twice, and that will take us maybe three or four innings,” Tidwell said. “Then we can pitch Jacob Phillipe (5-0, 1.84 ERA, 61 strikeouts) for a couple of innings and finish with Dillon Newman (2.21, 58).”
For the Vikings it will be hard-throwing senior Tyler Grygar (7-0), who has a 0.77 ERA and 67 strikeouts.
“They both can clock between 88 and 92 mph,” Tidwell said of Grygar and Weatherford. “They are two of the hardest throwers we’ll see all year. That’s why they’re doing so well, because they have two great pitchers. They get it up there in a hurry.”
The Tigers weathered some offensive woes early in the 13-5A season and have posted their 8-2 district mark with a combined score of 53-21.
The Vikings have had no such offensive ills, matching their pitchers’ efforts with equally impressive performances at the plate. Bryan has won its first nine district games by a combined score of 61-8, with five shutouts.
“We’re going to have to hit the ball,” Tidwell said. “We’re also going to have to hold them down, which we did pretty well last time, but we have to come through with some hits."
edrennan@temple-telegram.com
