Broncos back in 2A Regional Semifinal, first time since 2016
Game 1: Clarendon vs. Albany on Friday at 7 p.m. at Lubbock Christian Univeristy
CLARENDON, Texas (KFDA) - Three high school baseball teams are left on the UIL playoff chase including the Clarendon Broncos (21-5). The UIL 2A squad hangs their hat on their ability to overcome any obstacle.
Clarendon’s teamwork has sent the Broncos’ baseball team back to the UIL 2A Regional Semifinals for the first time since 2016.
“This team’s got a lot of heart and like I said it gives me chills talking about it because of the way these kids are,” said Yancy Molloy, Clarendon baseball third-year head coach. “They’re never out. We could be down by 10 runs and we still got a chance to win the game and that’s been our motto all year.”
Clarendon senior first baseman and pitcher Brock Hatley remembers watching his older brother play in the Regional Semifinal in 2016, and he made it a goal to send the Broncos back.
“It was pretty cool and I thought it was probably one of the coolest things I’ve ever seen,” said Hatley. “I always wanted to go out and go a little bit further and beat him.”
The Broncos have a strong pedigree including back-to-back State Championships in boys basketball.
“It brings sort of a leadership for me and I know what it takes to get all the way down there,” said Lyric Smith, Clarendon sophomore center fielder. “I have to sort of transfer it from this sport to the next and try to bring what we did in basketball here to baseball.”
Underclassmen like Smith and Easton Frausto have stepped up to the challenge, but credit the seniors for leading the charge.
“They’ve just been great leaders to us and everyone that they’ve interacted with this year,” said Frausto. “They’re a special group of guys.”
Clarendon’s next test is No. 10 Albany (19-4), but the Bronco’s success has not come from studying their competition.
“I know Coach Fairchild has done a good job. He’s a coach that’s been around it for a while that’s won a lot of baseball games, but we really try to take the focus away from the other team and do the best that we can,” said Molloy. “I try to tell my boys it doesn’t matter what color uniforms or what the name says on their chest that they’re playing. As long as they worry about the maroon and white and the Broncos on their chest that we’ll be fine.”
The UIL 2A Regional Semifinal at Lubbock Christian University starts on Friday at 7 p.m. Game two is set for Saturday at 2 p.m. with game three to follow if necessary.
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