Cowboys slump offensively, fall against Rockwall

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Anjali Krishna

Coppell senior first baseman Walker Polk forces out Rockwall on Saturday at the Coppell ISD Baseball/Softball Complex. The Yellowjackets beat the Cowboys, 4-0.

Meer Mahfuz, Staff Writer

In a rematch of a nondistrict game from March 10, the Coppell baseball team watched the game slip away as it could not recover from a deficit in the first inning. 

Rockwall defeated Coppell, 4-0, on Saturday at Coppell ISD Baseball/Softball Complex. 

“We struggled offensively today to come out of the gate to put guys in scoring positions,” Coppell coach Ryan Howard said. “They did a great job of keeping us off balance offensively. So it’s just one of those days where we couldn’t couldn’t really get in a rhythm offense.”

Rockwall started off the scoring with a sacrifice fly in the first inning to take a onerun lead. 

In the bottom of the fourth, Coppell junior shortstop TJ Pompey reached first on an error but a subsequent fly out and a pair of strikeouts ended the inning.

Rockwall junior second baseman Brayden Randle singled on a line drive to center field to score sophomore center fielder Pearson Riebock. The Yellowjackets took a 2-0 lead in the fifth.

Coppell got its first hit of the day behind a double on a line drive to center field from senior center fielder Carter Fields in the sixth.

In the seventh, Randle singled on a hard ground ball to right field to score senior first baseman Hunter Holt. Riebock scored on a passed ball soon after to give the Yellowjackets a 4-0 lead.

With one out in the bottom of the seventh, Coppell senior first baseman Walker Polk singled on a line drive to left field but a fielder’s choice out and a fly out ended the inning.

Rockwall totaled seven hits while Coppell tallied two.

Coppell senior pitcher Landry Fee gave up four hits, walked three and struck out three in 4.2 innings. Junior reliever Andrew Schultz gave up three hits, walked two and struck out two in 2.1 innings.

“Landry didn’t have his best stuff today, but I thought he competed well,” Howard said. “He kept us in the ballgame. His pitch count got up but he was still able to compete and hold them to a minimal amount of runs.”

Rockwall senior pitcher Cade Crossland allowed two hits, walked one and struck out nine in seven innings.

“We’re in a bit of a slump, offensively,” Pompey said. “We just need to be confident with our at-bats and trust ourselves.”

The Cowboys (16-6-1, 9-1 in District 6-6A) host Plano East on Tuesday at Coppell ISD Baseball/Softball Complex with first pitch at 7:30.

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