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Rematch: Ducks and Hippos to meet for last time in regional finals 
SERIES SAVER: Hutto High School’s Brett Higginbotham pitched a shutout in Game 3 of the Hippos regional semifinals series with Jasper. Hutto will face Taylor in the regional finals beginning Thursday at 7 p.m. at the Dell Diamond.
photo by RENE CAREY |
By Emily Grobe To Hutto coach Peter Schmidt, this Thursday’s game is just another game for his Hippo baseball team. He thinks Taylor coach Doug Kuhl would concur. “The next round is just another game, just another team,” Schmidt said after the Hippos’ Game 3 win over Jasper. “I don’t think it makes a difference that it is Taylor or whomever.” Kuhl and Schmidt, both very humble coaches, have succeeded at deflecting attention, or distractions, away from their teams - keeping them focused on the task at hand: earning a state tournament berth. While the Ducks and Hippos have been each other’s deciding factor for most of the season - their games have determined whether Taylor would hold onto first place in district, if Hutto would make the playoffs and where each would be seeded - to these coaches, that’s great talk at water coolers and for the fans in the stands. While Kuhl and Schmidt are more interested in what their teams have in front of them instead of their three previous meetings, their history is a peculiar one that may shed some light on the upcoming series. District 18-3A was one of two districts in Region III-3A that still had all three playoff teams in the hunt in the quarterfinal round. Taylor knocked out district neighbor Liberty Hill, leaving themselves and Hutto. Jasper was the lone survivor out of 21-3A, the other district sending three teams to the quarterfinals, and they are done after losing to Hutto. Now, headed into the regional finals, it’s come down to the final two teams out of one of the most difficult districts in Class 3A. Both District 18-3A teams have identical district records (5-3), playoff records (8-1) and have swept all but one of their three-game playoff series. In both cases, defensive lapses led to their one playoff loss. Taylor will be able to hold its own at the plate against Hutto. There should be no offensive headaches keeping the Ducks out of a game, but they won’t survive with poor defensive outings like they had in Game 2 against Giddings - fortunately, they won that game. Likewise for Hutto. The Hippos have a pitching staff that will keep this team alive, if their defense stays solid. The Hippos should have beaten Jasper in Game 2 of their regional semifinal series Saturday, but costly defensive errors forced a third game. Never a team with a confidence problem, the Hippos quickly shut out the defending Class 3A state champions in Game 3. Both of these teams are capable of putting up offense, even against good pitching. With solid presence on the mound and proven hitters on both teams, this series will likely come down to defense, or at least the ability to make routine defensive plays on the field. This will be Hutto and Taylor’s final matchup as Hutto is moving up to Class 4A after this season. The Region III finals series begins Thursday at the Dell Diamond at 7 p.m. Game 2 will be played Saturday at Nelson Field in Austin at 2 p.m. If necessary, Game 3 will follow 30 minutes after.
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