(Game 2)

 (Game 3)

It wasn’t that the Westside baseball team missed opportunities Saturday in Games 2 and 3 of the 5A-Region III finals against Bellaire.

The Wolves rued not creating them in the first place.

“When you don’t score one run in 14 innings you don’t deserve to win,” coach Emrick Jagneaux said.

Following a 3-2 win in Game 1 Friday night, Westside mustered only one hit in Game 2, a 2-0 loss, and six in a 6-0 loss in Game 3 but stranded seven baserunners at Ray Knoblauch Field.

Bellaire starter Kyle Chaskin threw only 77 pitches in Game 2, then Game 3 starter Jeffrey Rohrbach rarely was threatened. The start set the tone – seven of Westside’s first nine outs were made in two pitches or less.

“We took a lot of pitches and just weren’t very aggressive,” Westside (30-5) pitcher/centerfielder Taylor Wall said through tears. “That was the story. We just came out flat.”

Jagneaux and the Wolves lamented a few brain freezes, including a base-running gaffe in the first inning of Game 3 that probably cost the Wolves a 1-0 lead.

Freddy Villalobos led off with a double down the left-field line, then advanced to third on a fielder’s choice. Then with two out, Michael Goodnight grounded to second base where Wall was forced, but Villalobos inexplicably froze when he likely would have scored easily.

Then on a 1-and-1 pitch to Brett Zieren, Goodnight attempted to steal second and Villalobos waited several seconds before trying to score. He was thrown out easily.

“We knew going in that a three-game series would be tough. Then we got to the third game and we pressed a little bit,” Jagneaux said. “Pressure, we always tell our kids, produces fear. And when you have fear, it’s tough for you to overcome.”

Will McCaleb’s home run to straightaway center in the bottom of the second gave Bellaire a 1-0 lead.

Villalobos’ tough afternoon continued two innings later, when he bobbled a ball at shortstop. The Cardinals didn’t score.

Westside graduates three seniors – Wall, Goodnight and catcher/pitcher Cory Maltz.

“We’re gonna have to find some guys who can throw … but we hope to pick it back up next year,” Jagneaux said. “I couldn’t be prouder. They exceeded all expectations we had of them at the beginning of the year. They played with a lot of heart. We just ran into Bellaire. …

“These guys have built a tradition and set a precedent.”

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