Hickman has battered opponents to reach state semifinals
Dom-i-nate: vb, to exert supreme determining or guiding influence on another
No other word better describes the Hickman Kewpies’ past two games in the 2005 MSHSAA Class 4 Baseball Championships.
The Kewpies dominated Fort Zumwalt West 13-3 in sectional play and Joplin 12-2 in the quarterfinals. Both games ended early because of the mercy rule.
Hickman (26-2) is set to face Lee’s Summit in the semifinals at 2 p.m. today at Taylor Stadium.
The Kewpies, who came into the tournament with the state’s top ranking, dominate with a lineup that has eight players who bat better than .300.
Topping the lineup, seniors Kyle Smith, Chad Hatcher, Blake Tekotte and Justin Jackson have recorded 131 of the team’s 227 RBIs going into the semifinal.
Smith, a 6-foot-3-inch shortstop, bats first in the order. He has had four hits in eight at bats during the tournament.
“Usually when I get on, things start to get rolling,” Smith said. “It’s kind of a guaranteed run with Tekotte and Jackson behind me. But I know Chad will get on if I don’t get on.”
Hatcher, a second baseman who follows Smith, has five hits in his past six at bats, including a home run against Fort Zumwalt West.
“Lately we’ve been down two runs without coming to the plate yet,” Hatcher said. “And we end up 10-running both teams.”
Tekotte, a center fielder, has four hits in seven at bats, including two home runs and six RBIs. Tekotte hit 11 home runs and batted-in 51 runs in the regular season.
“One of us is going to pull through and just step up, whether it’s Kyle, me, Chad or Jackson,” Tekotte said.
Third baseman Justin Jackson bats cleanup with four hits and two RBIs in his past eight at bats, bringing his RBI total to 46 for the season.
“So long as we put pressure on the other team, we feel like we’ve got a shot,” Jackson said. “Eventually our lineup is going to get to any pitcher.”
Both Fort Zumwalt West and Joplin managed to go ahead by two runs early in the game. The Kewpies have proven that being behind doesn’t mean they are beaten.
“Panicking means you’re in trouble,” Hatcher said. “I just never feel that we are beat at any point in the game. We believe we can do whatever it takes to win.
“The lowest run total that has beat us is six, so we know that four runs isn’t going to beat us. We know that it’s just a matter of time.”
Hickman coach Dave Wilson started his coaching career at Lee’s Summit as a volunteer assistant in 1994 and is eager to face his old team.
“You’re going to see a match up of two good programs,” Wilson said. “Two schools that have got really good athletes.”
Wilson said he thinks both teams will have the same strategy.
“On their side, they are thinking, hey, we’ve got to get ahead of hitters and throw strikes,” Wilson said. “And on our side we are thinking the same thing.”
The past two seasons, Hickman has played impressively during the regular season, but Hickman has not made it to the semifinals since it won the state title in 1990.
“Since our freshman year there has been a lot of hype about this team,” Jackson said. “We haven’t lived up to it until this year. Hopefully we can keep playing well.”
It won’t be a surprise if they do. Most of the Kewpies’ players have known each other a long time.
“We’ve grown up playing baseball together, competing against each other or with each other,” Hatcher said.
There is a sense of urgency for the team. They will play their last game together Saturday at Taylor Stadium.
The winner of today’s game advances to play the winner of today’s 11 a.m. semifinal between Mehlville (18-9) and DeSmet (18-8) in the championship at 5 p.m. Saturday. The losers play for third at 11 a.m. Saturday.
“Every at-bat feels pretty special now,” Hatcher said.