San Marcos Daily Record SanMarcosRecord.com Sunday, March 23, 2014 — Page 9A HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL... Sports HIGH SCHOOL SOFTBALL... Relentless Rattlers Badda boom slide past Unicorns By JOE VOZZELLI 7 overall. SM clubs three HRs Daily Record Sports “We had let a few ball games get by because we in 12-3 home victory NEW BRAUNFELS — were sitting back and wait - By TYLER MAYFORTH Opponents pay heed: ing for the big hit.” San Sports Editor When you play the San Marcos head coach Bryan Marcos Rattlers, you had Webb said. “I could kind of Patience paid off in a big way last Friday for better be ready for any - feel it was like it was on Vianey Villalpando and the San Marcos Lady thing. Tuesday (4-1 loss to Rattlers. San Marcos utilized an Smithson Valley), it was a Through four innings, San Marcos and San aggressive approach on the 1-0 ball game. Tonight we Antonio Wagner were locked in a tight game. base paths during its 5-1 forced the issue. We finally Based entirely off recent results and on how the victory over New Braunfels found a weakness and Lady Rattler offense had been clicking, it should - last Friday night. With the exploited it.” Daily Record Photo by Joe Vozzelli n’t have been close that long — but San Marcos win, the Rattlers evened Up 2-1 in the sixth, the couldn’t get out of its own way and Wagner’s their District 25-5A record San Marcos sophomore David Hamilton takes third after tagging up at 1-1 and improved to 12- See Rattlers, Page 10A on a fly ball. Hamilton went 1 for 2 with two stolen bases in the game. See SMHS, Page 16A OPINION... P“ThIerEe weCre aI loNt of isGsues tIo bTe ta keTn caOre oGf. If EI didTn’t bHelievEe in R the potential of this university and the leadership we have here, I would have probably walked away.” — Texas State head coach Danny Kaspar Based on record alone, this past season for Texas State was a disaster. Throw in the Bobcats’ futility on offense and it gets worse. Once you add the name “Danny Kaspar,” suddenly the future looks bright regardless of Texas State’s brutal first year under the new head coach. Don’t be fooled. Kaspar knew he wasn’t going to immediately turn this program around. His team’s 8-23 record made that quite clear. It took Kaspar two full years and three recruiting classes until he had back-to- back 21-win seasons at Stephen F. Austin. Over the next nine years, Kaspar posted eight winning seasons and won 20 or more games five times. “I don’t want this to be a three-year plan — that’s not my goal,” Kaspar said over lunch at The Tap Room last Wednesday. “At my age and with my track record, I’m not into long rebuilding. My hopes are that in three years we can have this pro - gram where I want it to be. “I wanted it to be a two-year turnaround, but after a few months of getting to know the sit - uation, I felt like this would be a three-year rebuilding project. “I didn’t have that idea coming into the hiring process. You learn more about your program as you get into it. I found those things out this year, not just in a day or a week. It took a month or two. Some things aren’t what they seem to be. Some things are more positive than I thought they would be. Some things are more negative than I thought they would be.” Fortunately — or unfortunately, Daily Record Photo by Gerald Castillo depending on how you look at it — Kaspar worked with a blank, but For the first time in a long time, defense was consistently played inside Strahan Coliseum. Texas State sophomore forward Emani Gant (shown above) contests the shot of Troy forward Kevin Thomas during a game Danny Kaspar See Kaspar, Page 11A this past season as Joel Wright watches the play unfold. COLLEGE FOOTBALL... COLLEGE BASEBALL.. Practice Dates If you want to catch Texas State practice this spring, here are the dates you need to know. All practices are open to the public ’Cats split with WKU Fran demands more and held inside Bobcat Stadium. From Staff Reports Saturday afternoon over Date Type Time Western Kentucky. “It’s rare Head coach wants consistent focus BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — that you need to get his March 24 Practice 3:30 p.m. Texas State head coach Ty attention. He loves to play By JOE VOZZELLI supposed to be on the field. Best was March 25 Practice 3:30 p.m. near the sideline when he should Harrington has confidence and love to hit.” Daily Record Sports March 27 Practice 3:30 p.m. in Garrett Mattlage whenev - Mattlage mauled the have been in the formation. March 29 Scrimmage 10:30 a.m. “That’s just the intensity of prac - er the switch-hitting junior Hilltoppers for seven RBIs, Texas State head coach Dennis March 31 Practice 3:30 p.m. shortstop steps into the finishing two shy of the Franchione stepped a bit out of char - tice,” Franchione said. “If you prac - April 1 Practice 3:30 p.m. tice to play Division-I football, they’ve batter’s box. school record set by John acter as his team wrapped up its first April 3 Practice 3:30 p.m. “Garrett is one of those Thompkins on March 28, week of spring camp. got to bring it. If they don’t bring it, I have to bring it for them. It can be April 5 Scrimmage 10:45 a.m. guys who is always ready to 1999. Those seven RBIs The usually soft-spoken April 8 Practice 3:30 p.m. go,” Harrington said after were the most by any Texas Franchione lit into a few players dur - coach-driven or player-driven. I pre - fer it to be player-driven.” April 9 M&G Draft TBA watching Mattlage knock in State player since Spenser ing Saturday’s practice inside Bobcat April 10 Practice 3:30 p.m. more than half of the Dennis did the same in an Stadium, specifically slot receiver April 12 Spring Game 1 p.m. Bobcats’ runs in a 13-4 win C.J. Best, who forgot where he was See Bobcats, Page 11A See Baseball, Page 16A • Converse-Judson at San Marcos, 7 p.m. Thursday, March 27 High School Tennis The Daily Local • Cornerstone at San Marcos Academy, High School Softball • San Marcos at Boerne Champion Invita - 4:15 p.m. • Smithson Valley at San Marcos, 7 p.m. tional, All Day Schedule... High School Softball • San Marcos Academy at Holy Cross, 5 Record’s • San Marcos at New Braunfels Canyon, 7 p.m. Saturday, March 29 Sunday, March 23 p.m. College Track & Field College Baseball College Baseball • St. Dominic de Savio at San Marcos • Texas State at University of Texas Relays • Texas State at Arkansas State, 4 p.m. • Texas State at Western Kentucky, 1 p.m. Academy, 4:30 p.m. College Softball College Softball Two Womenʼs College Tennis Friday, March 28 • Texas State at UL-Lafayette, 2 p.m. • Texas State at Texas Tech, 12 p.m. • Arkansas State at Texas State, 1 p.m. College Baseball • Texas State at UL-Lafayette, 4 p.m. Menʼs College Golf • Texas State at Arkansas State, 6 p.m. High School Baseball Monday, March 24 • Texas State at UTSA Lone Star Invita - High School Baseball • San Marcos Academy at Regents, 1 p.m. minute Menʼs College Golf tional, All Day • San Marcos at San Antonio Wagner, 7 High School Softball • Texas State at UTSA Lone Star Invita - p.m. • Hyde Park at San Marcos Academy, 10 tional, All Day drill Wednesday, March 26 High School Track & Field a.m. College Softball • San Marcos at University of Texas Re - College Track & Field Tuesday, March 25 • Lamar at Texas State, 6 p.m. lays in Austin, All Day • Texas State at University of Texas Relays College Baseball College Track & Field College Track & Field in Austin, All Day • Texas State at Texas, 6 p.m. • Texas State at University of Texas Relays • Texas State at University of Texas Relays High School Baseball in Austin, All Day See Briefs, Page 10A THE DAILY RECORD, San Marcos, TX., Sunday, March 23, 2014 — Page 11A Bobcats… (From Page 9A) the strongest day of any wide “The first-team offense has The defense drew the brunt of receiver. On one play, Best had some reasonably good exe - Franchione’s ire during a 15- bobbed and weaved down the cution,” Franchione said. “The minute scrimmage as Texas field for a 40-yard scamper off major points right now are for State broke out down markers an option pitch from Jones. the offense to block better and for the first time in spring camp. While the offense looked for the defense to run to the ball Franchione commanded his strong Saturday, the defense and tackle. We haven’t done offense to take it to the weary struggled and new defensive that well all week.” defense: “Come on, they’re coordinator John Thompson Though it wasn’t a good day tired!” looked visibly disappointed. for Texas State’s secondary, the “That’s a two-fold deal,” For the first time in camp, defensive line and linebackers Franchione said. “No. 1, it illus - Texas State seemed lost on in had a relatively solid day across trates to the offense the advan - the secondary — unsure about the board.