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Nazareth High baseball comes up just short in 1A state championship game

Hart Pisani, Amarillo Globe-News
·4 min read

ROUND ROCK — The Nazareth Swifts' baseball season came to an end Thursday morning.

This time, there was no crazy comeback, no dog pile, no celebration. Just the consoling arms of head coach Tyler Goodwin, the supportive applause of their fans and families, and one last trophy.

Except this one read: "State Runner-Up."

Nazareth lost for just the second time all year, but this one came in the Class 1A state championship game following a 4-0 defeat to the D'Hanis Cowboys — two weeks after pulling off one of the craziest comebacks you're likely to see against Ira.

It was just 24 hours after besting Kennard 1-0. Just one year after advancing to the state tournament for the first time ever.

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They made it one round further this year than they did in 2021, but they came up just short of their goal. It's not the result any team wants to end the season, but Goodwin couldn't say enough about what his kids did to get there.

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"What I told the guys is it's not easy to (get to state), especially back-to-back," Goodwin said. "To lose just two games in a season when you play 23 baseball games is incredible. Our kids are damn resilient and I feel for them because they deserve a championship, but I'm so proud of them and the season we've had. We've come a long way and I can't say enough about the guys."

Carson Heiman (5) reacts after Nazareth lost the Class 1A state championship game 4-0 to D'Hanis on Thursday, June 9, 2022 at Dell Diamond in Round Rock, Texas.
Carson Heiman (5) reacts after Nazareth lost the Class 1A state championship game 4-0 to D'Hanis on Thursday, June 9, 2022 at Dell Diamond in Round Rock, Texas.

The Swifts deserve credit for the effort they put up against the Cowboys, though.

D’Hanis defeated Abbott 16-0 the day before and starting pitcher Carson Heiman kept the Cowboys offense off the board until the top of the fourth. That was when Heiman walked Layton Hermann with the bases loaded before recording a strikeout to limit the damage and keep the deficit to 1-0.

D’Hanis did all the damage it needed in the top of the fifth, however.

Heiman surrendered a leadoff double, threw a wild pitch to advance the same batter, Ryan Hendry, to third and walked Will Schwae before Goodwin decided his starter's day was over.

Nazareth's Tanner Birkenfeld (14) catches a fly ball in a Class 1A state baseball championship game against D'Hanis on Thursday, June 9, 2022 at Dell Diamond in Round Rock, Texas. The Swifts lost 4-0 to become the state runner up.
Nazareth's Tanner Birkenfeld (14) catches a fly ball in a Class 1A state baseball championship game against D'Hanis on Thursday, June 9, 2022 at Dell Diamond in Round Rock, Texas. The Swifts lost 4-0 to become the state runner up.

After throwing 95 pitches in the semifinal, Trent Gerber returned to the mound to relieve Heiman with two runners on and no outs.

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After Schwae was caught stealing for out number one, things got bad.

An RBI single by Daelyn Gonzalez scored pinch runner Koby Fortner to give D’Hanis a 2-0 lead. After Gerber walked JJ Garcia, Raine Redden came up big with an RBI single to score Gonzalez before Eusebio Tapia reached on a fielder’s choice. Redden was forced out at second, but Garcia scored to end Gerber’s final outing in a Swifts uniform and advance the lead to 4-0.

Nazareth players react after losing a Class 1A state championship game 4-0 to D'Hanis on Thursday, June 9, 2022 at Dell Diamond in Round Rock, Texas.
Nazareth players react after losing a Class 1A state championship game 4-0 to D'Hanis on Thursday, June 9, 2022 at Dell Diamond in Round Rock, Texas.

Luke Schulte, who came in and got Nazareth out of the inning, did not allow a hit and walked just one in 2 1/3 innings of work. The Swifts' offense could not muster the big swing to stoke a comeback, notching three hits on the day — two of which came in the first inning.

It also marked the final time Gerber put on a Nazareth uniform after a storied career. He couldn’t say enough about his teammates and his first-year head coach in reflecting on his time with the Swifts.

“It’s everything in the world to be a Nazareth Swift," Gerber said. "You come up dreaming about becoming one, and it lived up to the hype, I’ll tell you that.”

The loss of Gerber is certainly enormous.

Nazareth's Braden Bullard (11) is hit by a pitch during a Class 1A state baseball championship game against D'Hanis on Thursday, June 9, 2022 at Dell Diamond in Round Rock, Texas. The Swifts lost 4-0 to become the state runner up.
Nazareth's Braden Bullard (11) is hit by a pitch during a Class 1A state baseball championship game against D'Hanis on Thursday, June 9, 2022 at Dell Diamond in Round Rock, Texas. The Swifts lost 4-0 to become the state runner up.

The Swifts also graduate Brett Young, whom Goodwin praised after the game. However, everyone else will be back for more next year.

So, too, will Goodwin after last year’s head coach Steven Moore elected to retire following the Swifts’ run to the state tournament.

While coming up just short in the biggest game of the year hurts right now, make no mistake, the Swifts aren’t going anywhere.

“We’ll be back,” Heiman said. “We’ve got a lot of young guys. We’ve just got to get to work.”

D’Hanis 4, Nazareth 0

D’Hanis    000    130    0  —   4    7    0

Nazareth    000    000    0 —   0    3    1

Ryan Hendry and Ethan Reyes. Carson Heiman, Trent Gerber (5), Luke Schulte (5) and Schulte/Heiman. W -- Hendry. L -- Heiman. 2B – D’Hanis, Eusebio Tapia, Hendry. Records: Visiting team 28-3; Nazareth 21-2.

This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Nazareth High School baseball loses 1A UIL State Championship