CIBOLO — The Fayetteville High School baseball team put on a show May 17 at Byron P. Steele Field in Cibolo with a 19-2 win against Knippa High School by mercy rule.
Fayetteville had their bats going for the entire game and didn’t allow much of anything on the defensive end with solid pitching and defense.
“It’s tough only playing once every week,” said Fayetteville head baseball coach Clint Jaeger. “We haven’t played a series yet, so only playing once a week gets our timing off a little bit. The first inning or two, it kind of showed. Then we started hitting the ball really well and some people came through. We were able to put a lot of hits on the board and score a bunch of runs. It made it a lot easier to feel more comfortable out there. Pitching wise, did fine.
Struggled to throw strikes a little bit, but we did enough. Just came through and persevered.”
Fayetteville pitcher Chance Konvicka threw for most of the game and had his command going for the entire outing, making hitters miss and setting up his defense for success.
“Just throwing strikes,” Konvicka said on his performance. “Let the defense work. Even if it isn’t my best outing, they can be behind me and just work.”
The Lions scored in their first at bat with a base hit to left field from Jack Schley, two stolen bases, a walk, and a wild pick off throw to take a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning.
Knippa answered in the same inning on a base hit, stolen base, and a wild pick off throw to tie it at one.
Fayetteville responded with a home run over the left field wall from freshman Kandon Kaspar in the next inning, then went on a tear in the third inning with a sacrifice fly from Konvicka, a triple to right center from Kole Schmitt, and three wild throws from Knippa to make it 9-1.
Knippa scored again in their next at bat with a base hit, steal, ball in the dirt, and a botched ball to make it 9-2.
Fayetteville added to their run total in the top of the third inning after a walk and two stolen bases, one being home plate in order to score the run.
They went on to have a huge inning in their final at bat with a wild throw home, three base hits,
four walks, and a wild pitch to take a commanding 19-2 lead.
The Lions then notched two strikeouts and a ground out in the bottom of the sixth inning to win the game 19-2 by mercy rule.
Fayetteville will play fellow area and Fayette County team Round Top-Carmine for a shot at the state tournament May 22 at Fire men’s Park in Brenham with the first game at 5 p.m. and the sec - ond game to follow 30 minutes after. Game 3 will be held at the same place May 24 at 2 p.m. if necessary.
