A signed baseball in the office of Westside baseball coach Emrick Jagneaux commemorates the program’s first playoff win, a rout of Sam Houston on May 1, 2002.

In most respects, the Wolves, who will play their first-ever regional semifinal game Thursday, have grown by leaps and bounds in the six-plus years since.

But in one crucial respect, Westside never has changed.

The Wolves don’t score much, and because of that their pitching usually carries the day.

“It’s not necessarily the easiest situation but it (low-scoring games) is better for me because it keeps me focused,” said Wolves senior pitcher Taylor Wall, who shares the “ace” moniker with classmate Michael Goodnight. “There aren’t many games around here where the pitcher can relax. One hit (or) one run can decide a game.”

Games like the Wolves’ 6-0 win against Memorial to clinch their regional quarterfinal series are as rare as snow here. Westside insists it thrives on nailbiters, like its comeback 3-2 win in Game 1 against Memorial or the 1-0 decision in Game 1 of the area round against Cy-Fair, when the only run of the game came on freshman Daniel Mengden’s home run to lead off the bottom of the seventh inning.

“We expect to play smallball around here,” Mengden said. “When the game’s close, we like that. Everybody in the lineup can hit and everyone can lay down a bunt, things like that. Even Goodnight, our No. 4 hitter, bunts real well. There aren’t a lot of teams where you can say that about your (No.) 4 hitter.”

Westside ousted defending 5A state champion Cy-Fair in the area round, then swept out high-scoring Memorial in two games to reach the semifinals against Baytown Sterling.

Game 1 is at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Butler Stadium. Game 2 is at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Baytown Sterling, and if necessary Game 3 will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at Pasadena McGuire.

“Our kids understand we have to play smallball, move the ball around and drive somebody in,” said Jagneaux, who has won 184 games at the school after 13 years as a college assistant. “We’re not a team that’s gonna get two guys on then have a guy hit a three-run homer. We’re not that kind of team. We’re guys who move the ball around a little bit and hope someone can drive us in.

“I’ve been here eight years and we’ve maybe had one team that could really hit.”

It’s crucial, Jagneaux said, for the top half of the lineup – paced by leadoff hitter Freddy Villalobos – to hit the ball because the bottom half of the lineup is likely to put the ball in ground.

Westside has an on-base percentage of .439 and is only 8-of-12 in stolen bases.

Villalobos is hitting a team-best .449. Third baseman Brett Zieren leads the Wolves with team-highs of five home runs and 15 doubles.

Goodnight is hitting .398, Wall .367.

“We’re gonna have to score some runs at some point. We can’t just live off our pitching,” Jagneaux said. “We can’t expect those guys to go out and pitch 14 innings (in one game). That’s just not going to happen. We just have to play smallball and try to move the ball around a little bit.”
***
BASEBALL
Regional semifinals

Westside vs. Baytown Sterling
Game 1: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Butler Stadium
Game 2: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Baytown Sterling
*Game 3: 2 p.m. Saturday, Pasadena McGuire

Bellaire vs. Alvin
Game 1: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Manvel
Game 2: 2 p.m. Saturday, Manvel
*Game 3: 45 minutes following Game 2

* if necessary

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