Kellci Ford
Sports Reporter
The Longhorns baseball team is writing its own victory story this season, after seeing such success in other sports recently.
The season was already one to celebrate as the Longhorns have played into unfamiliar territory this season, making it the furthest Gordon baseball has ever played as far as anyone can record, according to Head Coach Liggon West. They came into this season with high expectations after reaching the Regional Quarterfinals last year and returning eight starters from that team, which ended their season 12-4. This year’s Longhorns are 20-4 after their recent victory over Oglesby in the Regional Semi-Final series. The series, played in Cleburne, hit some bumps along the way, with game two being delayed twice for lightning before ultimately being cut short and the remainder of game play being postponed to the following day.
The Longhorns are led by, and relying heavily on, Junior Aiden Shank and Senior Maddox Stewart according to West. The two are their pitchers, with Shank 7-2 as a starter, and Steward 7-1, and West also added that they are atop the line up as hitters on offense as well. Steward had 30 runs, 18 RBI’s and 20 stolen bases, while Shank has 31 runs, 17 RBI’s and 21 stolen bases.
A name most Longhorn fans are familiar with is Stryker Reed, who West names as their biggest standout on offense. The Junior is hitting .522 batting average, with 20 runs, 28 RBI’s and 22 stolen bases. West added, “Stryker has slowly but surely become the leader of the team by example, just as he does in football and basketball.” Stryker has also taken the mound as a pitcher, with ten innings pitched, and a 1.45 ERA. “Stryker never lets the lights get too big and always plays his best in big situations.” West also boasts of the junior athlete.
A few other Longhorns who have come up big for the team area Gatlin Simmons and Brayden Walters who have come in and pitched throughout the year. First baseman Evan Jackson has recorded 10 RBI’s, second baseman Hudson Campbell has 17 runs and 14 stolen bases, outfielder Noah Kostiha has 27 runs and 11 RBI’s so far, and Jaedon Dixon with 12 runs. Outfielders Corvin Seymour and Luke Heath each have come up big, as well as designated hitter Landon McDonald and courtesy runner Kaden Crowe.
As of Monday, the game just got a little bigger and a little tougher for the Longhorns. As an EF-1 tornado ripped through the small town. According to a statement by Athletic Director Mike Reed and Superintendent Holly Campbell, the athletic facilities and secondary school took a major hit. Reed added in a post to Facebook, “No more football and baseball stadium. All equipment, uniforms, etc. gone. Weight room collapsed and destroyed, new gym roof also ripped off in parts, and school damaged…”
With the Longhorns still in the midst of a history playoff run, what does that mean for the team? West updated us by saying, “As of now everything is still as scheduled as far as playoff stuff.” Adding, “We lost all of our equipment, so we’ve got a lot of things to figure out.”
Gordon will faceoff with the Perrin-Whitt Pirates in the 1A Region 2 Finals three-game series. Game one is set for Thursday evening at 7:30 at Stephenville High School, and games two and three (if necessary), are set for Saturday afternoon beginning at 4 p.m. at Weatherford High School.
