Cove faces Rockwall in postseason return

By TJ MAXWELL

Cove Leader-Press

The Copperas Cove Bulldawgs will make their triumphant return to the postseason after a six-year absence tonight when they face the Rockwall Yellow Jackets in the bi-district round of the playoffs. Game 1 of the best-of-three series is set for 7 p.m. tonight at China Spring High School. Game 2 and Game 3, if necessary, will be held Saturday. Game 1 is set for a 1 p.m. first pitch with game 3, if necessary, to be played 30 minutes after the conclusion of Game 2. The Bulldawgs (14-10, 6-6 in District 12-6A) will face off against the Yellow Jackets (18-5, 14-2 in District 11-6A) for a chance to advance to the Area round on May 9. The Bulldawgs are led from the plate by juniors Tim Bechtold (.418 batting average), Terrance Chamberlin (.414) and newcomer Josh Carbajal, who is hitting a team-high .429 in just five games in the blue and gold. Senior Adrian Oviedo and Neeko Kirk lead the Dawgs from the mound with a 3-1 win/loss record each. Mike Hays (3-2) leads the pitching staff in earned run average with a 2.386, followed by Carbajal (1-1) who has the second-best ERA with 2.774. Rockwall has several guys hitting over .300 but no one on the team has over a .380 average. The senior-laden squad is led from the bump by one of 10 seniors, Shayne Nance. Nance has a 7-1 record from the bump and boasts a .851 ERA. He has given up 14 runs (six earned) and struck out 71 in 49 1/3 innings on the bump. Another senior, Matt Baker, also has just one loss on his record with a 4-1 mark. He has a 1.12 ERA and also has surrendered just six earned runs while fanning 24 in 37 1/3 innings. The Bulldawgs are a junior-laden squad. Only two Bulldawg seniors (Oviedo and Tristan Marez) are regulars in the starting lineup and senior Connor Lake sees time on the mound. The majority of the starters are juniors with the exception of freshman catcher Cameron Johnson. The winner of the series will face the winner of Mequite Horn and Dallas White.