The Pampa Harvesters (9-6, 2-0) had home runs from the senior pair of Hunter Nichols and Sam Anguiano on a blustery Tuesday afternoon to lift the Harvesters to 2-0 in District play in a 6-2 win over Hereford.
“We’ve been struggling all year to just put everything together,” Head Coach Austin Samulowitz said. “That’s just been a focus point for us, to put our offense and defense all together. This is the first time we just put it all together. That was the focus all week, in the weight room, practice, etc. These guys were focused. They’ve been in some big games throughout their careers. This is what we expect from Pampa baseball.”
Nichols took the mound and the Harvesters defense stood strong behind him with a pair of ground outs to accompany the right-hander’s strikeout to start the game.
Senior Hunter Dyer drew a walk that was followed by a strikeout. On the second pitch of Anguiano’s at bat, the third-baseman hit a ball into the west wind, slicing through and passing the left field fence for the two-run home run.
“I told Sam (Anguiano) that was pretty impressive to hit that into the wind,” Samulowitz said. “As soon as he hit it I thought, ‘That’s a double right off the bat.’ But that thing just kept cutting.”
Nichols had an opportunity to help his cause and took full advantage of the opportunity with a double, also against the wind to left field on the 0-2 pitch. Two at bats later, senior Cayson Steward hit the first pitch he saw for a two-out single to score courtesy runner freshmen Judsen Hancock and give Pampa the 3-0 lead. The Whitefaces were able to get the third put-out and stop the onslaught to end the frame.
It was nothing doing in the next three frames and Anguiano led off bottom of the third with a ground ball to left right off the glove of the third basemen. Similar to Anguiano in the first inning, Nichols hit a foul first but followed that hit with a homer to right field to score Anguiano as the two trotted around the bases to the tune of a 5-0 lead.
“Hunter (Nichols) has been awesome for us all four years,” Samulowitz said. “He’s busting his tail in the weight room and at practice. If we could have every kid like Hunter Nichols, we’d be well off.”
Nichols kept the Harvesters momentum in the top of the fourth, adding a pair of punch-outs as Pampa kept their lead.
Hereford gained two runs back in the top of the sixth before junior Tyler Reed came in for relief and immediately retired two of the next three hitters.
The Harvesters added one more run in the bottom of the sixth when senior Armando Miranda hit a two-out, RBI single to left, bringing home Dyer and giving Pampa the 6-2 lead.
Reed sat two of the last three hitters in the seventh to secure the 6-2 Pampa win.
The Harvesters return to action on Friday as they travel to Perryton to take on the Rangers at 5 p.m.
“Perryton is coached by Coach (Farron) Cowan, who is one of the best in the Panhandle. I have a ton of respect for Coach Cowan and so I know he is going to have the Rangers ready for the Pampa Harvesters.”
Stat round-up
Hunter Nichols pitched five innings with five hits, two runs, two earned runs, six strikeouts and five walks; Tyler Reed pitched two innings with four strikeouts.
Hunter Dyer went 2-3 with two runs scored and a walk; Armando Miranda went 2-4 with an RBI; Sam Anguiano went 2-4 with two runs scored, two RBI and a home run (2); Hunter Nichols went 2-4 with a run scored, a double, a home run and two RBI; Cayson Steward went 1-3 with an RBI; Michael Campos went 1-3 and Tyler Reed went 2-3 with a double.
