The rivalry between College Station and A&M Consolidated adds another chapter to its ever-growing book with this week’s highly anticipated baseball series.
“College Station week for any sport is a big deal,” A&M Consolidated baseball head coach Ryan Lennerton said. “Football, basketball, baseball, softball, volleyball, doesn’t matter when we play them, everybody in the school kind of takes notice. We’ll hit after school and I’m sure there will be a lot of talk around the [batting] cage about the possible guys that we’re going to face [Tuesday] night and I’m sure they’re doing the same thing.”
And this year’s edition of the series means a ton for a plethora of different reasons.
A&M Consolidated (18-5-1, 10-2) is in the driver’s seat in District 21-5A and can win its first district title since 2011. The Tigers just need one win to earn that long-awaited championship and they’ll get their first crack at it on the road at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Cougar Field.
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“It’s just a lot of excitement on our part we’ve taken care of our business and we’ve put ourselves in a good spot,” Lennerton said. “That’s really what we’re looking to do tomorrow is just finish the job for ourselves.”
If the Tigers fall Tuesday, Consol will return to Tiger Field and host College Station at 7 p.m. Friday. Consol has turned Tiger Field into a raucous and hard place for visitors to win this season as the Tigers are 5-1 in district play at home.
The Cougars (16-12, 7-5) have plenty to play for, too.
College Station currently sits on the edge for the final playoff spot in the district in fourth place. The Tigers, Magnolia (19-8, 8-4) and Montgomery Lake Creek (20-7, 8-4) are ahead of College Station.
Defending 5A state champion Magnolia West (14-13-1, 6-6) is right behind them, while Montgomery (13-15, 5-7) is a game back of the reigning state champions. The Mustangs and Bears will meet this week with Tuesday’s game at Montgomery at 7 p.m. before they end the regular season at Magnolia West at 7 p.m. Friday.
“We win and Magnolia West loses, then we’re in,” College Station head coach Chris Litton said. “If we win both, then we’re in. If we lose both games, then there’s a chance that Montgomery could catch us. There’s a chance that we play Mag West on Saturday. There’s a lot of factors out there.”
With so many factors including the dreaded scoreboard watching, Litton is emphasizing to his team about approaching this series like any other.
“We’re just trying to stay in the moment and focus what’s on important now, and that’s today in practice,” Litton said. “That’s doing all the things the right way in order to set ourselves up for [Tuesday]. Just being in the moment and being present.”
With so much on the line, this year’s meeting will probably need a few chapters to tell its story.
The most important chapter won’t focus on playoff spots or titles though, but instead, the good it brought.
This Tuesday’s game is the fifth year in a row that the Cougars are raising funds for the Vs. Cancer Foundation. College Station has hosted the event against Concordia Lutheran, Brenham and Waller in the past.
“We raise money for what’s called The Butterfly Foundation where half the money we raise goes directly to families in financial need, whether it be just helping them pay rent, buy groceries, get gas, get their kids to and from treatment, hotels while they’re doing treatment, things like that,” Litton said. “The other half of our money we raise goes directly to pediatric brain cancer research. It’s really underfunded and just being able to help with some different clinical trials and make a difference in that light and hopefully finding a cure.”
It means even more for the Cougars this season as one of their own in junior JV outfielder/pitcher Adam Bolline is battling cancer.
While it’s College Station’s event, Lennerton not only made sure to mention it when talking with The Eagle, but it also involves Consol as the first pitch will be thrown out by current student Isabel Blanton, who successfully battled pediatric cancer.
“It’s going to be a cool opportunity for both of our schools to be there [and] support that cause,” Lennerton said.
Serving it up: The District 21-5A Tennis Tournament got underway and College Station and A&M Consolidated led the way on Monday at A&M Consolidated’s tennis courts.
Heading into Tuesday’s finals, College Station has a finalist in four of the five matches, while the Tigers have three finalists.
The only match that doesn’t feature a Cougar is the girls doubles final which will see the Lady Tigers’ team of Erin Parsons and Alyssa Tran take on Montgomery Lake Creek’s Sabrina Pugh and Michelle Pugh at 8:30 a.m.
In boys singles, College Station’s Ysmael Tineo will face Lake Creek’s Alejandro Ramirez at 8:30 a.m. It will be all Lady Cougars in girls singles as Maya Diyasheva faces teammate Bailey Le at 8:30 a.m.
Boys doubles will be a rivalry matchup as College Station’s team of Paxton O’Shea and Ford Elizondo goes up against A&M Consolidated’s Bobby Huang and Braxton White at 8:30 a.m.
Rounding out the district tournament will be another College Station-Consol clash in mixed doubles as Consol’s Agustin Lepiz Saborio/Lauren Hightower face Samikshya Mahapatra/Sebastian Jimenez at 9:30 a.m.
The advancing athletes will be right at home at regionals as the Tigers are also the host for the Region III-5A Tennis Tournament on May 8-9.
College Station’s Corcoran commits to Sam Houston: College Station’s Cade Corcoran announced his commitment to Sam Houston for baseball on Monday.
“I am blessed to announce that I have committed to further my academic and athletic career at Sam Houston State University,” Corcoran said on social media. “I want to thank my lord and savior Jesus Christ, because without him I would have nothing to be thankful for. Then I want to thank my parents, my brother and my entire family for the countless hours of sacrifice dedicated towards me. Next I want to thank all the coaches that have helped to get to this point right now and creating the person that I am today! Finally I want to thank my friends who have helped me from the beginning and encouraged me to this moment.”
Corcoran was named a team captain this season and is a multisport athlete for the Cougars, playing quarterback in the fall the past few seasons, serving as the backup.
Two from Bryan High honored: Last Friday’s regular-season finale was not only Senior Night for the Rudder softball team, but also a sendoff for assistant coach Kyle Jones, who is retiring.
Jones, a teacher at Davila Middle School, has been with the Bryan school district for 33 years.
Along with the recognition for Jones, Bryan athletic director Janice Williamson earlier this month was named the Texas High School Athletic Director Association’s Region Athletic Administrator of the Year for Region 6.
Williamson was one of eight athletic directors recognized along with Amarillo’s Brad Thiessen (Region 1), Abilene’s Jim Garfield (Region 2), Richardson’s Leslie Slovak (Region 3), El Paso’s David Cervantes (Region 4), Houston’s Andre Walker (Region 5), Sharyland’s Ron Adame (Region 7) and Southwest’s Melanie Hinson (Region 8).
Snook’s Becker reaches milestone: Snook junior pitcher Aubrey Becker closed out the softball regular season in style last week as she reached the 700-career strikeout mark.
Becker and the Lady Bluejays picked up two wins against North Zulch in a doubleheader.
The second-place Lady Bluejays (15-13, 7-3 in 26-2A) will take on third-place Centerville (9-18, 2-5 in 25-2A) at 5:30 p.m. Friday in Caldwell in a one-game Class 2A bi-district matchup.
What’s at stake on the diamond: The final week of the high school baseball season is here and there’s still a few district titles up for grabs.
Similar to Consol, Anderson-Shiro (19-7-1, 11-2) can claim the District 23-3A title with a win Tuesday. The Owls are at Crockett (1-20, 0-13) at 7 p.m. Second-place Tarkington (16-8, 11-2) hosts Trinity (3-20, 2-11) also at 7 p.m.
Centerville (13-4-3, 7-1) is a game ahead of Leon (12-11, 6-2) in the District 21-2A race. The Tigers are at Latexo at 7 p.m. Tuesday and host Leon at 7 p.m. Friday. The Cougars host Normangee at 7 p.m. Tuesday.