Tuesday, June 16, 2015
SPORTS
The Fayette County Record
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The members of the 2015 Flatonia baseball team sport their new gold medals and show off their state title trophy moments after winning Thursday’s state title game 4-3 over Crawford.
Dogs’ Day
Photo by Jeff Wick
Flatonia Baseball Team Wins State Title in Thrilling Fashion By JEFF WICK
R
The Fayette County Record
OUND ROCK – With a finish for the ages, the Flatonia baseball team rallied to win its first state baseball title since 1993 as the Bulldogs came from three runs down to stun Crawford 4-3 Thursday in the 2A championship game in front of 1,571 fans at Dell Diamond. Casen Novak hit a basesloaded single to left field to score Gus Venegas with the winning run, and almost as soon as Novak had touched first, the Flatonia dugout was emptying for a mid-field dog-pile. “It couldn’t have been a better ending,” said Flatonia head coach Shawn Bruns, who was the head coach the last time Flatonia baseball won state. The title game victory was made extra special by a number of factors, particularly because Flatonia had lost in the state title game last year, and because for so long Thursday it appeared the Bulldogs might be headed for another silver-medal finish. Flatonia trailed 2-0 after the first inning and 3-0 after the third. “I can’t even describe it,” said senior Marcus Mica, who had pitched a complete game in Wednesday’s 8-2 victory over Booker to vault Flatonia into the title game. “I don’t even know what to say. “When you experience a loss like last year, it’s just an unbeatable feeling after you win it all.” Even as each inning passed with Crawford still holding the lead, Bruns preached patience to his players. “I just kept saying, ‘Stay the course,’’ Bruns said. “I knew we could get to them. I told the guys, ‘We’re a better team than them and we would prove it by the end of the ballgame.’” “It ended up being one of those days that it was meant to be for us. It was two teams battling it out until the last out of the seventh inning. That’s why base-
“I never thought I could feel so happy.”
– Flatonia senior Gus Venegas, who scored the winning run ball is so much fun. You have no time clock on it. You play until the last out.” While Flatonia dominated late, it was Crawford that took control early, scoring two first inning runs off starting pitcher Gus Venegas before he gave way to sophomore reliever Kaddin Mikulik with just one out in the first inning. Mikulik would pitch into the third inning and give up no hits but one run before another sophomore, Easton Migl, would take over on the mound. Migl hurled 4.1 innings of scoreless relief to get the win. “That’s what wins championships when your pitching staff can do that, keep you in the ballgame when the starter doesn’t have it,” Bruns said. Crawford didn’t get a hit in the seventh through sixth innings. While Venegas had struggled on the mound for the Bulldogs he made up for it later in the game in centerfield, making a running catch to save two runs and later throwing out a Crawford runner at third base. Venegas also scored that gamewinning run. After having to use both of their top two pitchers in the state semis Wednesday just to get to the state title game, Crawford sent junk-ball side-armer Braden Nemec to the mound to start Thursday’s title game. And he dominated the Bulldogs early, the only exception being a second inning double by Marcus Mica off the left field wall that was just feet from being a home run. “We haven’t faced anybody See Bulldogs, next page
Lane Janecka reacts seconds after the win.
Flatonia head coach Shawn Bruns is showered with a bucket of gatorade by his players after Thursday’s victory. Photo by Stephanie Steinhauser
The Bulldogs mob each other seconds after winning Thursday’s title game.
Photo by Jeff Wick
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The Fayette County Record, Tuesday, June 16, 2015
Bulldogs Are the Best Novak Named Title Game MVP
Continued from front that threw that slow since the first round,” said Flatonia’s Braydon Mica. Nemec was so slow that it really threw the Bulldog hitters’ timing off. “Their pitcher pitched his butt off,” Bruns said. But he got wild in the sixth inning, hitting Matthew Kozelsky and walking Novak. Crawford manager Randy Smith pulled Nemec and put in hard-throwing senior Braden Murphy, who was unbeaten at 9-0 this season and had thrown 36 pitches the day before in the semis to get the save. Kozelsky and Novak advanced on a throwing error by the Crawford catcher and then groundouts by Kaddin Mikulik and Migl plated Kozelsky and Novak. The game shifted to the seventh inning with Crawford clinging to a 3-2 lead. For the first time all game, the Pirates got to Migl a little, putting two on with one out thanks to a walk and a single. But then Crawford’s Murphy lofted a fly ball to centerfield that Venegas caught. He made a strong throw to Livan Cedillo at third who tagged out Koby Smith as he tried to advance to third. “That just pumped us up going into the seventh. Making a play like that at the end of an innings, just got us the momentum
back,” Bruns said. “Then we did the job in the seventh.” In that seventh Braydon Mica started the inning with a walk. “We all went up to the plate with the same approach, to be patient,” Braydon Mica said. Blaine Besetzny then bunted Mica to second. Then Crawford’s Murphy really got wild, walking Venegas and Andrew Dvorak to load the bases. He threw two more balls to Matthew Kozelsky before he was pulled in favor of Crawford’s Nate Moenning, who had gotten the win the day before in the semis, but had thrown 85 pitches in five-plus innings in that effort. The visibly exhausted Moenning completed the walk to Kozelsky to bring in Braydon Mica with the game-tying run. Then Novak came to the plate with the chance to be a hero – again. “Casen’s had a walk off hit two or three times this year,” Bruns said. “I couldn’t have been more at ease with him at the plate in that situation.” “I was ready,” Novak said. He launched the fourth pitch he saw from Moenning into left field for a single, which brought home Venegas with the gamewinning run. And a celebration Flatonia fans had been waiting 22 years to experience again had begun. “I never thought I could feel so happy,” Venegas said.
By JEFF WICK The Fayette County Record
ROUND ROCK – With the game tied and the bases loaded in the seventh inning, there was maybe no one better to have at the plate for the Bulldogs than Casen Novak. The junior shortstop came into the state tournament with a team-leading .440 batting average and it was his hit to left that scored the state championship winning run and touched off a wild celebration by the Flatonia players. As he rounded first base, his teammates rushed towards him and dog-piled the star shortstop. “I knew Casen had done the job for us all year and he was going to pull through,” said teammate Easton Migl. After the game Novak was awarded the championship MVP trophy. “I never would have thought,” Novak said. “It’s just awesome.” At the plate with the game on the line, Novak said he was actually more confident than nervous. “I just got up there looked at my coach and smiled,” Novak said. “I was having fun. I had a few butterflies but I was ready. “I rounded first (after the game-winning hit) and I knew the dog pile was coming.”
Flatonia’s Casen Novak, right, poses with UIL Director Charles Breithaupt after being named the championship game MVP. Photo by Jeff Wick
State Title Boxscore Flatonia 4, Crawford 3
Crawford............ 201 000 0 - 3 3 1 Flatonia............ 000 002 2 - 4 3 1 Crawford 3 (26-7) Player ab r Jeff Ward cf 2 2 Braden Nemec p/3b 3 0 Clayte Hickey pr 0 0 Braden Murphy ss/p 3 1 Bo Pearson rf 2 0 Nate Moenning 1b/p 1 0 Barclay Brunson lf 3 0 Coalson Foss 3b/ss 2 0 Jason Wiethorn dh 3 0 Koby Smith c 2 0 Garrett Dutschmann 2b 0 0 Totals 21 3
h 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 3
rbi 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 2
Flatonia 4 (25-6) Player ab r h rbi bb Casen Novak ss 3 1 2 1 1 Kaddin Mikulik 2b/p 3 0 0 1 0 Easton Migl cf/rf 3 0 0 1 0 Marcus Mica 1b 3 0 1 0 0 Braydon Mica rf/lf 2 1 0 0 1 Blaine Besetzny lf/2b 2 0 0 0 0 Gus Venegas p/cf 2 1 0 0 1 Andrew Dvorak c 2 0 0 0 1 Matthew Kozelsky dh 1 1 0 1 1 Livan Cedillo 3b 0 0 0 0 0 Totals 21 4 3 4 5 Note: 1 out, 3 runners LOB when the game ended. E - Smith, K; Besetzny. DP - Flatonia 1. LOB - Crawford 5; Flatonia 5. 2B - Mica, M. 3B - Murphy. HBP - Nemec; Moenning; Kozelsky. SB - Ward; Novak. Crawford ip h r er bb so np Braden Nemec 5.0 2 2 1 1 1 58 Braden Murphy L, 1.1 0 2 2 3 0 28 Nate Moenning 0.0 1 0 0 1 0 8 Flatonia ip h r er bb so np Gus Venegas 0.1 2 2 2 1 0 18 Kaddin Mikulik 2.1 0 1 1 2 0 35 Easton Migl W,3-0 4.1 1 0 0 2 4 75 Win - Migl (3-0). Loss - Murphy (9-1). Save - None. HBP - by Mikulik (Nemec); by Migl (Moenning); by Nemec (Kozelsky). Pitches/strikes: Nemec 58/34; Murphy 28/14; Moenning 8/3; Venegas 18/9; Mikulik 35/18; Migl 75/44.
Flatonia’s Kaddin Mikulik makes a high leaping catch Thursday in the state title game as a Crawford runner slides into second base. Photo by Stephanie Steinhauser
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The Fayette County Record, Tuesday, June 16, 2015
As head coach Shawn Bruns, right, directs him, Gus Venegas, left, waits at third base to see if Casen Novak’s seventh inning fly ball would be caught. The ball fell in for a single and Venegas scored the Photo by Jeff Wick game-winning run in a 4-3 victory in the state title game.
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Flatonia centerfielder Gus Venegas makes this sprinting over-the-shoulder catch in the third inning Thursday that kept Crawford from extending their 3-0 lead into a 5-0 lead. Photo by Stephanie Steinhauser
After Rough Start, Venegas Comes Up Huge for the Bulldogs By JEFF WICK The Fayette County Record
ROUND ROCK – Flatonia senior Gus Venegas struggled on the mound as the starting pitcher for the Bulldogs in the state title game, giving up two runs and getting just one out before being relieved. But Venegas sure made up
for any pitching woes with his play in centerfield later in the game. In the fourth inning with two runners on and two outs, Venegas made a stellar sprinting catch in the left-centerfield gap that saved two runs from scoring and ended the inning with Crawford clinging to a 3-0 lead.
“It wasn’t Gus’ game at the start, but the ball in the gap, when the guys came in, I said, ‘That play right there is the difference between a three-run and five-run ballgame. That play is going to win the dog-gone game for us,’” Flatonia head coach Shawn Bruns said. Venegas wasn’t done.
In the sixth inning, with Crawford up 3-2 and two runners on, Venegas made a catch in center for the second out and then made a strong throw to third baseman Livan Cedillo, who tagged out a Pirates runner that was trying to advance from second to end the inning and the threat.
“That play he made to end the sixth, the throw he made, he’s been doing that his whole career,” Bruns said. “That just pumped us up going into the seventh inning.” In the seventh, Venegas drew a one-out walk and ended up scoring the game-winning run on Casen Novak’s walk-off sin-
gle. “I can’t explain how I feel, how happy I am,” said Venegas, who had been the winning pitcher in the regional final to help the Bulldogs even get to state. He along with senior pitcher/first baseman Marcus Mica were the only two senior starters on the Bulldog team.
22 Years Later Bruns Wins Another Title With the Bulldogs
By JEFF WICK
The Fayette County Record
Flatonia head coach Shawn Bruns lets out a triumphant yell seconds after the state title win. Photo by Jeff Wick
WE’RE PROUD OF THE BULLDOGS AND OUR GRANDSONS, LANE JANECKA #16 & CALE JANECKA-BAT BOY!
Back in 1993, in his second year coaching at Flatonia, and his first year as the head baseball coach, Shawn Bruns led the Flatonia baseball team to a state title. Twenty-two years, and hundreds of baseball games later, Bruns again led the Bulldogs to the top of the mountain. As Flatonia trailed inning after inning in Thursday’s title game, several players credited Bruns with keeping them confident that they could, indeed, make a comeback.
“Coach Bruns just kept saying stay up, stay up,” Braydon Mica said. Bruns has helped make deep playoff runs a regular occurrence in Flatonia, but Thursday with a gold medal around his neck for the second time, he was quick to give credit elsewhere. “I have a great coaching staff, and it’s about the kids and about the community and about parents supporting us,” Bruns said. “The community is what made a difference over these past 24 years (he’s coached at Flato-
We’re Proud of the Flatonia Bulldogs!
Cale Janecka Bat Boy
Casen Novak #2
nia). If we didn’t have the support that we do from the community and the school board and the administration, we couldn’t have achieved this.”
Chris Freytag, right, a former player of Shawn Bruns, and now his co-athletic director, presents his old coach with his new state gold medal.
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The Fayette County Record, Tuesday, June 16, 2015
State Tournament Snapshots
Matthew Kozelsky reacts after drawing a bases-loaded walk that brought in the tying run in the seventh inning of the state title game. Photo by Jeff Wick
Flatonia’s Braydon Mica slides home with a run in the 8-2 victory over Booker in the state semifinals Wednesday. Photo by Stephanie Steinhauser
The senior members of the Flatonia baseball team, left to right: Ted Steinhauser, Jose Robles, Gus Venegas and Marcus Mica accept the state title trophy. Photo by Jeff Wick
To say Flatonia bat boy Cale Janecka is excited about the state title would be an understatement. Photo by Jeff Wick
Bulldogs, I’m Your
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Mike Schulze Flatonia’s Andrew Dvorak at bat in the state semifinal win over Booker Wednesday. Photo by Stephanie Steinhauser
Flatonia Bulldogs
Flatonia’s Kaddin Mikulik pitched 2.1 innings of hitless relief early in the state title game. Photo by Stephanie Steinhauser
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The Fayette County Record, Tuesday, June 16, 2015
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The joy of winning a state title shows on the face of Kaddin Mikulik as he is hugged by a teammate. Photo by Stephanie Steinhauser
Migl Comes up Big in Title Game A look from behind home plate as Easton Migl delivers a pitch Thursday.
By JEFF WICK The Fayette County Record
ROUND ROCK – It was a relief appearance they’ll be talking about in Flatonia for a long time. Sophomore Easton Migl pitched 4.1 innings of one-hit, no run baseball to help propel the Bulldogs to a come-from-behind 4-3 victory over Crawford in the state title game. Not bad for a kid who hadn’t pitched much this season because of arm trouble. “Migl was gutsy,” said Flatonia head coach Shawn Bruns. “He had some arm trouble early in the year and couldn’t pitch that much but we stretched him out a little more today, and he gave us all he had.” Migl entered the game in the third inning with the Pirates al-
Photo by Jeff Wick
ready up 3-0 and with two runners on and two outs. He got out of that jam and then retired nine of the next ten batters he faced before finally giving up a hit to Crawford in the seventh inning. “I just tried to stay calm and keep throwing strikes,” Migl said. “I knew I had a good defense behind me.” But while Migl made his dominance of the Crawford lineup look easy, it was anything but. “After the sixth inning I went back and told my dad (Flatonia assistant coach Mark Migl) that my arm was hurting and I couldn’t throw any more,” Migl said. “My dad told me to get back out there and work harder and finish it off and I did.” This was Mark Migl’s first
Congratulations Bulldogs! District Judge Jeff R. Steinhauser & Captures…By Stephanie Steinhauser Photography Judge Jeff and Stephanie Steinhauser Megan, Lucas, Karsyn, Micah, Katie, Rachel & LillieAnne
Congratulations on a Great Season! Flatonia Bulldogs State 2A Champions Fayette County Judge Ed Janecka
The City of Flatonia is beyond proud of our baseball team. Mayor, Council and Employees Easton Migl delivering a pitch during the state title game. Photo by Jeff Wick
year as an assistant coach with Flatonia and Easton said it was an “awesome” experience to be able to share winning a state title with his dad. “To be here with my dad, it’s just an amazing experience,” Migl said.
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Flatonia Bulldogs, Lane Janecka #16 and Cale Janecka-Bat Boy on your State Baseball Championship!
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The Fayette County Record, Tuesday, June 16, 2015
State Tournament Snapshots
Crawford first baseman Nate Moenning does the splits to preserve this out Thursday.
Photo by Jeff Wick
Flatonia senior Marcus Mica pitched a complete game two-hitter in the state semifinals. Photo by Stephanie Steinhauser
The Bulldogs and their fans, hoping for a rally late in the game Thursday. Photo by Jeff Wick
The members of the Flatonia baseball team await their state championship medals, being handed out by Bulldog co-athletic director Chris Freytag. Photo by Jeff Wick
Flatonia third baseman Livan Cedillo tags out this runner in the seventh inning of the state title game. Photo by Jeff Wick
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The Fayette County Record, Tuesday, June 16, 2015
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Flatonia Traveled a Winding Road to 2015 State Title By JEFF WICK
The Fayette County Record
After going 15-6 during the regular season and being the runner up in their own district, the Flatonia Bulldogs embarked on the postseason, where they would win all 10 playoff games they played. Here’s a look back at that road from the pages of the Fayette County Record:
Bulldogs Get a Scare from Holland
The Flatonia baseball team’s drive to get back to the state tournament survived a big scare in the first round of the 2A playoffs. The Bulldogs let a 5-1 lead get away in the seventh inning only to bounce back to score the game winner in the eighth inning in a 6-5 winner over Holland. An Easton Migl single scored San Juan Ramirez with the game-winner.
5/8/15 – 2A Bidistrict Baseball
Flatonia 6, Holland 5
Holland 100 000 40 – 5 7 11 Flatonia 001 040 01 – 6 9 1 Winning pitcher: Gus Venegas Flatonia highlights: Marcus Mica 3-for-4, 3 RBIs, Braydon Mica 2-for-3, Gus Venegas 1-for-3, 2B, 2 RBIs; Easton Migl 1-for-4, game-winning RBI single in the 8th inning; Kaddin Mikulik 1-for-4, 2B; Casen Novak 1-for-5. Flatonia Record: 16-6.
Sweeping Big Sandy
The Flatonia baseball team swept Big Sandy by scores of 4-2 and 3-0 in their 2A Area round baseball series last week. That vaults the Bulldogs into the regional quarterfinals. Flatonia now has an 18-6 overall record.
5/13/15 2A Area Round Baseball
Flatonia 4, Big Sandy 2
Flatonia 000 103 0 – 4 3 3 Big Sandy 000 001 1 – 2 5 3 Winning pitcher: Gus Venegas (5 IP, 4 hits, 1 run) Save: Easton Migl Flatonia highlights: Venegas 1 hit, 1 run; Marcus Mica 1 run; Casen Novak 2 hits; Brayden Mica 1 run, Blaine Besetzny 1 run. 5/15/15 2A Area Round Baseball
Flatonia 3, Big Sandy 0
Flatonia 100 020 0 – 3 5 0 Big Sandy 000 000 0 – 0 4 2 Winning pitcher: Marcus Mica (complete game four-hitter with 9Ks) Flatonia highlights: Kaddin Mikulik 1 hit, 1 run; Marcus Mica 1 hit; Casen Novak 2 hits, 2 runs; Blaine Besetzny 1 hit.
Thorndale No Match
The Flatonia baseball team continues to dominate in the playoffs, sweeping Thorndale 12-3 and 5-1 in their regional quarterfinal series. Gus Venegas and Marcus Mica pitched complete games for the Bulldogs. Marcus Mica had two triples and a double in Wednesday’s series opener and Matthew Kozelsky had a double and triple and scored three runs. In Friday’s Game 2, Casen
Novak had three hits and three RBIs. 5/20/15 – 2A Baseball Reg. Qrts Game 2
Flatonia 12, Thorndale 3
Flatonia 163 000 2 – 12 11 2 Thorndale 100 003 0 – 3 6 6 Winning pitcher: Gus Venegas (complete game six-hitter with 9 Ks) Flatonia highlights: Casen Novak 4 runs, Kaddin Mikulik 1 hit, 2B, 1 run, 2 RBIs; Easton Migl 1 hit, 1 run, 2 RBIs; Marcus Mica 3 hits, 2B, 2 3Bs, 1 run, 4 RBIs; Brayden Mica 1 hit; Blaine Besetzny 1 run; Gus Venegas 1 hit, 2B, 3 RBIs; Andrew Dvorak 2 hits, 1 run; Matthew Kozelsky 2 hits, 2B, 3B, 3 runs. 5/22/15 – 2A Baseball Reg. Qrts Game 2
Flatonia 5, Thorndale 1
Thorndale 100 000 0 – 1 3 1 Flatonia 040 001 x – 5 7 0 Winning pitcher: Marcus Mica (complete game three-hitter with 6Ks) Flatonia highlights: Casen Novak 3 hits, 2B, 3 RBIs, 1 run; Kaddin Mikulik 1 RBI; Easton Migl 1 hit, 2B; Marcus Mica 1 hit; Blaine Besetzny 1 hit, 2B, 1 run; Gus Venegas 1 run, 1 RBI; Andrew Dvorak 1 run; Matthew Kozelsky 1 run, 1 hit.
Bulldogs Survive Bees & Kenedy
In what has to be one of the most unusual causes for a game delay ever, a swarm of bees took up residence in the Kenedy Lions dugout Saturday in San Marcos before Game 2 of their regional semifinal against Flatonia. And those bees wouldn’t leave until a beekeeper was called to remove them. But while he was doing so, heavy rain and lightning arrived causing another delay. After waiting more than four hours, Kenedy finally called it quits, turning the scheduled best-of-three series against Flatonia into just a one gamer. Flatonia had won Game 1 back on Thursday (by an 11-0 margin) and so the Bulldogs advance on in the playoffs – just not exactly how they expected. The Bulldogs will now advance to play Refugio, which was a 1-0 winner over Shiner in their regional semifinal. While Saturday’s Flatonia games were buzzed and washed out, the Bulldogs sure looked impressive spanking Kenedy 11-0 Thursday. Marcus Mica pitched five scoreless innings in that game and also had four hits himself, including two doubles. Casen Novak had three hits, 3 RBIs and scored four runs and Kaddin Mikulik had two hits and two RBIs. 5/28/15 –2A Reg. Semi Baseball
Flatonia 11, Kenedy 0
Flatonia 133 000 4 – 11 12 1 Kenedy 000 000 0 – 0 2 5 Winning pitcher: Marcus Mica (5 IP, 2 hits, 9 Ks) Losing pitcher: Cruz (2.2 IP, 7 hits, 7 runs) Flatonia highlights: Casen Novak 3 hits, 2B, 3 RBIs, 4 runs; Kaddin Mikulik 2 hits, 2 RBIs, 1 run; Luke Freytag 1 run; Marcus Mica 4 hits, 2 2Bs, 3 RBIs; Blaine Besetzny 1 hit; Gus Venegas 1 run, 1 hit; Andrew Dvorak 1 hit, 1 run; San Juan Ramirez 1 run; Matthew Rowell 1 run.
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Bulldogs Win Regional Title
SAN ANTONIO – The Flatonia baseball team is headed back to the state tournament with a little unfinished business. One year after finishing as state runner-ups, the Bulldogs earned their right for a return trip to Dell Diamond with a sweep of Refugio in the regional finals. Flatonia knocked off Refugio 9-2 in Game 1 Thursday in El Campo before finishing off the Bobcats with a 3-1 win Saturday in San Antonio. “These guys just did one of the hardest things you can do in sports – repeat,” said longtime Flatonia head coach Shawn Bruns, just seconds before his players doused him with a celebratory bucket of ice water. “They repeated as regional champions and got back to state.” Last year Flatonia knocked off Anson in the state semis before falling to Douglass in the state title game. But these 2015 Bulldogs are headed to Round Rock with a different mindset, said senior pitcher/first baseman Marcus Mica. “We’re going there to win it this time,” Mica said. “We have our minds set. We’re not thinking just getting there is the thing. You’ve got to win it to finish it. “Some people think this (getting to state) is a once in a lifetime deal, but we’re lucky enough to get a second chance.” Flatonia’s two victories against Refugio were certainly different. In that 9-2 win in Game 1, Marcus Mica threw a complete game seven-hitter and the Bulldogs banged out 10 hits, led by a three-hit performance by Casen Novak. Saturday, however, hits were hard to come by for Flatonia. The Bulldogs had just four hits (compared to five for Refugio). But Flatonia capitilized on several Refugio miscues. “It’s hard to win when you don’t play clean,” Bruns said. In the second Blaine Besetzny was hit by a pitch, stole second and then scored on an error. In the fourth Besetzny reached on an error, stole second and then scored on a triple by Gus Venegas. Saturday marked the second consecutive game in this series where Besetzny terrorized Refugio. In Game 1, he had a pair of triples. Besetzny, who was playing at Schulenburg last year, and as recently as a month ago was sidelined by a separated shoulder, said he’s enjoying this new environment, and his first trip to state. “It’s amazing. This is a good group of guys. I’m glad to be here,” Besetzny said. Kaddin Mikulik scored Flatonia’s final run of the afternoon
when he walked, advanced to third on a single by Migl and then scored on a sacrifice fly by Braydon Mica. Those three runs were more than enough. Flatonia starting pitcher Venegas stayed out of trouble, allowing just a single third inning run as he overcame recent shoulders woes. “It was not my best, but I have a great defense playing behind me,” said Venegas. “They helped me out a while lot.” But with Flatonia holding a 3-1 lead, Refugio got two runner on with two outs against Venegas in the top of the sixth inning. Easton Migl came on in relief and ending up tagging out a runner between third an home (who was trying to advance when Migl picked off a runner between first and second). That ended the threat and then Migl hurled a perfect ninth to save the win – and the celebration was on for a Flatonia team that looks like its playing its best baseball of the season – and finally getting healthy – at just the right time. Bruns said so many of his players have fought through recent injuries to play key roles lately including Venegas, catcher Andrew Dvorak, Besetzny and Matthew Kozelsky “I’m so proud of our kids for sucking it up,” Bruns said. Now they are all just one win from matching last year’s state runner-up finish and two wins away from being state champs. “When we started this year we said, we’re not going to talk about last year’s team because that team is gone. This is your team. You have one year to play with this group,” Bruns said. “You have to set your own bar high.” 6/4/15 – 2A Reg Final Baseball Game 1
Flatonia 9, Refugio 2
Flatonia 220 131 0 – 9 10 0 Refugio 101 000 0 – 2 7 2 Winning pitcher: Marcus Mica (complete game seven-hitter with 6 Ks) Flatonia highlights: Casen Novak 3-for-4, RBI; Blaine Besetzny 2-for-4, 2 triples, RBI; Gus Venegas 1-for-4, RBI double; Marcus Mica 1-for-4, RBI; Andrew Dvorak 1-for-3, 2 runs; Matthew Kozelsky 1-for-2; Easton Migl 1-for-3, 2 runs, RBI. 6/4/15 – 2A Regional Final Baseball Game 2
Flatonia 3, Refugio 1
Refugio 001 000 0 – 1 5 4 Flatonia 010 110 x – 3 4 2 Winning pitcher: Gus Venegas (5.2 inning pitched, 5 hits, 1 run, 3 Ks) Save: Easton Migl (1.1 innings pitched, 0 hits, 2 Ks) Flatonia highlights: Gus Venegas 1-for3, RBI triple; Easton Migl 1-for-2, Marcus Mica 1-for-3, Matthew Kozelsky 1-for-3, Braydon Mica Sac-fly RBI; Blaine Besetzny 2 runs.
Bulldogs Beat Booker 8-2 in Semis
ROUND ROCK -- The Flatonia Bulldogs ended Booker’s storybook season and kept their
Congratulations Easton-#4 and the Flatonia Bulldogs on a Great Season!
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s n o i t a l u t a r Cong Bulldogs! Thanks for making us Flatonia proud! 361-865-2875 105 N. La Grange • Flatonia, TX 78941
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own championship dreams alive Wednesday. With a 8-2 victory over Booker in the 2A state semifinals in front of 946 fans at Dell Diamond, Flatonia advanced to its second consecutive state title game and ended the best ever season by the Booker Kiowas (27-5), a team on the Texas/ Oklahoma border that was making its first ever state tournament appearance. “I’m just thankful these guys put themselves in the position to get another shot (at a state title),” said Flatonia head coach Shawn Bruns. “We’re going to try to take a state championship back home to Flatonia. These kids are hungry. They are ready.” Marcus Mica, who was the losing pitcher in last year’s state title game, was stellar in his first return to the Dell Diamond mound since last year’s championship game. He threw a complete game two-hitter with eight strikeouts. Mica retired the Booker batters in order in every inning except the fourth, when they scored their two runs. “It’s great to be back here. I couldn’t be more proud of my team for making it back here,” Mica said after the game. “When you have the defense I do behind me, you can quit trying to throw around hitters and just let them hit and let the defense make plays.” Meanwhile, the Flatonia bats needed less than one trip through the lineup before they started figuring out Booker starting pitcher Jared Reagan, who came into the game with a 13-2 record. Flatonia took a 1-0 lead in the third inning when Andrew Dvorak walked, went to second
on a bunt by Matthew Kozelsky and then scored on a single by Casen Novak. The Bulldogs added another run in the fourth when Braydon Mica reached when a third strike got away from the catcher. He stole second and scored on a single by Gus Venegas. Booker scored its two runs in the bottom half of the fourth to tie the game. Venegas (one of only two senior starters on this team along with Marcus Mica) came up big again in the fifth with a bases-loaded single that scored two. Marcus Mica had an RBI in that inning when he was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and a Braydon Mica sacrifice fly scored Kaddin Mikulik. Up 6-2, the Bulldogs scored their final two runs in the seventh against Booker’s third pitcher of the morning. Braydon Mica walked and Blaine Besetzny was hit by a pitch before both scored on a pair of Booker errors. “Definetly, experience played a role (in Wednesday‘s win),” Bruns said. “We knew what we had to do. The deeper you go in the playoffs the more that experience takes over.” “At the beginning of the year we set our goal to win a state championship, not just get back (to state),” Novak said. “We’ve got to finish it.” 2A State Baseball Semifinal
Flatonia 8, Booker 2
Flatonia 001 140 2 – 8 5 1 Booker 000 200 0 – 2 2 2 Winning pitcher: Marcus Mica (complete game two-hitter with 8Ks) Flatonia highlights: Casen Novak 2 hits, 1 run, 1 RBI; Kaddin Mikulik 1 run; Easton Migl 1 run; Marcus Mica 1 RBI; Nick Flores 1 run; Braydon Mica 2 runs, 1 RBI; Blaine Besetzny 1 run; Gus Venegas 2 hits, 3 RBIs; Andrew Dvorak 1 hit; San Juan Ramirez 1 run.
Flatonia’s Road to State Regular Season Opponent Anderson-Shiro Hallettsville Sacred Heart Austin Hill Country Christian East Bernard Hallettsville Sacred Heart Fayetteville Altair Rice Anderson-Shiro El Maton Tidehaven Louise Weimar Shiner Schulenburg Ganado Fayetteville Weimar Louise Shiner Schulenburg Ganado Hallettsville Playoff Games Opponent Holland Dallardsville Big Sandy Dallardsville Big Sandy Thorndale Thorndale Kenedy Refugio Refugio State Tournament Booker Crawford
Score 11-13 20-0 20-1 6-2 10-1 21-0 23-0 2-3 0-3 17-3 3-4 8-7 13-2 11-2 13-0 11-10 8-0 2-6 9-0 6-1 2-12 Score 6-5 4-2 3-0 12-3 5-1 11-0 9-2 3-1
W/L L W W W W W W L L W L W W W W W W L W W L
8-2 4-3
W W
W W W W W W W W
Congratulations on a Great Season!
B8 B6
The Fayette County Record, Tuesday, June 16, 2015 The Fayette County Record, Tuesday, June 10, 2014
Head Coach: Shawn Bruns Assistant Coaches: Mark Migl, James Zaruba, Bryan Zimmerman Season Record 25 - 6 1 Gus Venegas Senior OF/P 2 Casen Novak Junior IF 3 Nick Flores Junior IF/P 4 Easton Migl Sophomore OF/P 5 Braydon Mica Junior OF 6 Livan Cedillo Junior IF 7 Blaine Besetzny Junior IF/OF 8 Samuel Netro Sophomore OF 9 San Juan Ramirez Sophomore C/OF 10 Kaddin Mikulik Sophomore IF/P 11 Marcus Mica Senior IF/P 12 Matthew Kozelsky Junior OF 13 Matthew Rowell Sophomore IF 15 Andrew Dvorak Junior C 16 Lane Janecka Junior OF 17 Luke Freytag Junior IF 18 Jose Robles Senior OF 19 Dylan Dierschke Junior OF 20 Julio Castellano Sophomore OF/C Manager, Cale Janecka Statistician, Ted Steinhauser
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