ABILENE – After sweeping their first two postseason opponents, the Bangs Dragons suffered their first loss of the 2024 baseball playoffs Friday and now must win twice Saturday to keep their season alive.
The Dragons came up on the short end of a 4-2 decision Friday against the Stamford Bulldogs in Game 1 of a Region I-2A quarterfinal series at Abilene Christian High School. Games 2 and Game 3, if needed, are set for 11 a.m. Saturday back at Abilene Christian.
Bangs (20-9) had the winning run at the plate in the bottom of the seventh inning as Skylar Minshew walked with one out and Zack Ferguson walked with two outs against Stamford reliever Alex Guzman, who then retired Brayden Gatlin on a strikeout to escape the jam. The Dragons left 10 base runners stranded and struck out 12 times against the Stamford (23-6-1) pitching duo of Guzman and Christian Duran.
Tied at 2 in the top of the fifth inning, Stamford forged ahead for the third time in the contest and this time, Bangs was unable to retaliate.
Brayden Jimenez reached on an infield single down the third base line against Kenny Cole, who gave up four runs on five hits with eight strikeouts and six base on balls in 4.2 innings. Jimenez then stole second base, where no one covered for Bangs, allowing him to move to third on the play. Kaston Vega followed with an RBI ground out back to Cole on the mound, and Jimenez beat the throw from Conner Bible at first base to Hunter Crowell at the plate to push Stamford in front, 3-2.
Alek Hernandez was next up and singled up the middle. Then, on a hit and run call, Guzman lashed an RBI double to the gap in left-center field for the final 4-2 margin.
The Bulldogs grabbed a 1-0 lead in the top of the first as Jimenez walked with one out, stole second, and scored on Hernandez’s two-out RBI single to left field.
The Dragons answered in the bottom of the first as Crowell walked to start the frame, Minshew then singled Crowell over to third, and Cole came through with an RBI ground out that knotted the score at 1.
Stamford regained a 2-1 edge in the top of the third as three walks and a hit batter by Cole during the frame resulted the go-ahead run for the Bulldogs.
Bangs again fired back in the bottom of the third , however, as Minshew led off with a single and Cole then bunted with way aboard. With out out, Minshew stole third base and an errant throw allowed him to trot home and tie the score at 2. Cole was left stranded at third, however, as the final three Dragon batters in the inning struck out.
The inning prior, the Dragons loaded the bases – albeit with two outs – and left the sacks full. With two outs in the second, Jaxon Duncan and Bible singled in succession to extend the frame, then Crowell drew a walk, but the rally ended there.
The Dragons finished with seven hits in the game – two each from Minshew, Bible and Duncan, along with one from Cole, who accounted for Bangs’ only RBI.
Ferguson came on in relief of Cole in the fifth inning and pitched 2.1 scoreless frames, yielding two hits with one strikeout and one hit batter. Ferguson and Cole also combined to strand 10 Stamford base runners as well.
The Bangs-Stamford series winner will advance to face New Home (31-3) in the regional semifinal round next week.
