Bulldawg baseball has earned plenty of respect

You could see it in the stands and you could see it on the field.
Copperas Cove’s diamond boys are no longer considered a pushover, an easy win for opponents who often viewed a trip to Bulldawg Field as a show up, win in five innings by 10 or more runs and go home with a padded record. Nope, it’s not like that anymore.
It was easy to spot opposing coaches who either came themselves or sent representatives to study the new-look Bulldawgs, after realizing “Hey, maybe we should take these people seriously. This is a hungry team they’ve got over here.”
Yes, it was, big time.
Cove’s renaissance began in 2016 under head coach Dusty Brittain with a playoff berth against Garland Naaman Forest, which saw the Dawgs pull off what’s thought to be the school’s first-ever postseason baseball win. True, they fell short in the series, but the seeds were planted for a future full of great things and expectations were high for the 2017 campaign.
After fighting through a tough District 8-6A season, while facing arguably some of the best pitchers in the Class 6A business and coming up a run or two short in more than one contest, it was time to break a tie and head for the promised land.
Belton’s Tigers were the stumbling block, a team the Bulldawgs were knotted with at 7-7 in league play. A one-game, winner-take-all game fpurth-place tiebreaker was set for Temple College on Saturday and Belton prevailed 2-1, ending the Dawg dream of a third-straight playoff trip. But, don’t cry for the Bulldawgs, Copperas Cove fans, or Dawg players either.
These student athletes have proven they can compete with elite programs. During the league season, Cove was the first team to deal loop champion San Angelo Central a district loss. They played all comers tough and nobody embarrassed them. Sure, it hurt not to make the big dance, but the look ahead is bright.
More and more fans made their way to Bulldawg Field’s new bleachers and that’s inspiring. It wasn’t just the parents, but many people who just love baseball showing up at the games. I can’t think of a night when they didn’t get their money’s worth and they will be back. Betcha.
Off topic for a second, I really like how teams are playing each other twice in the same week and the pitch count rule. Both will make things more competitive, especially not having to face an opponent’s star chunker over and over.
Saturday may have been a wrap on Bulldawg baseball, but as reggae singer Johnny Nash once said, we’re looking at a “bright, sunshiny day!”
Go Dawgs!