For the first time in school history, Sanger advanced to the third round of the playoffs. Fittingly, it occurred on win No. 23 of the season, which is the most wins ever by a Sanger team.

“Today is a day of firsts,” Sanger head coach Tracy Howard said. “The Sanger Indians came to play. We are not letting up, and hopefully we will be playing to the end of the year.”

DRC/Barron Ludlum

Tanner Miller, center, is congratulated by his Sanger teammates after hitting a two-run home run during Game 2 of a Class 3A Region I playoff series Saturday.

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Sanger won 15-2 over Burkburnett in Game 2 on Saturday to sweep a best-of-three Class 3A Region I area round playoff series. Sanger advances to the regional quarterfinals next week to face the winner between Andrews and Pecos.

Sanger (23-7) benefited from a barrage of runs, including the team’s first home runs of the season. Jay Herring and Tanner Miller went deep as Sanger run-ruled Burkburnett in five innings at Guyer High School. 

The defense also responded for Sanger, as the Indians turned their first true double play of the year. With two runners on and one out in the fourth, Sanger starter Chase Knight got Leland Wetzel to hit a grounder to shortstop Josh Copeland, who flipped the ball to second, then on to first to end the inning.

Sanger’s 7-0 win in Game 1 matched the previous school record for wins set in 2005. With the win total and record-setting playoff run, coupled with the Indians capturing the top seed in district for the first time in 30 years, Howard said it’s a lot to grasp in his first year as head coach.

“It’s kind of a lot to take in right now,” Howard said. “To do it in your first year as the head coach, it kind of seems surreal. I am going to enjoy it.”

Knight allowed two runs on three hits and improved to 8-2 on the mound. Knight got eight groundball outs, a key trait of the junior pitcher.

“I thought Chase did very well. He is a major competitor,” Howard said. “When he throws his off-speed stuff for strikes, he is very tough to hit. He is more of a groundball pitcher and that’s OK.”

Burkburnett (17-16) went through five different pitchers, including starter Zach Krebs, who managed to get just one out in the first inning before leaving.

Sanger scored five runs in the first, highlighted by a three-run home run by Herring, who drilled a two-strike pitch over the wall in left center. Miller tacked on another run with an RBI triple to the gap in right center field. Miller later scored on a passed ball.

The Sanger hitters produced another five-run inning in the second. Trent Tipton scored from second on a fielding error by the second baseman.

Nathan McGraw hit a two-run double to left center. Miller followed with a towering, two-run homer that sailed over the 355-feet sign in left-center field.

Knight pitched out of a jam in the third inning as Burkburnett loaded the bases with one out after a single from Quay Grant. Knight, however, struck out Krebs and got Derek Dowling to ground out as Burkburnett stranded three runners.

“When he [Knight] keeps the ball down and works ahead in counts, we tend to be successful,” Howard said. “We played great defense behind him.”

Burkburnett added a run in the top of the first on a sacrifice fly by Krebs, scoring Keaton Green, who tagged from third after reaching base on a hit batsman. Burkburnett added another run in the fifth inning with two outs when Grant hit a homer to left field. 

Sanger scored three runs in the third inning and a pair of runs in the fourth.

“We put all three phases of the game together today,” Howard said. “We pitched well, we played great defense and we hit the ball very well. When we do that, we are tough to beat.”

BRAD McDONNELL can be reached at 940-566-6869. His e-mail address is bmcdonnell@dentonrc.com .

Sanger 15, Burkburnett 2

WP – Chase Knight. LP – Zach Krebs. 2B – S: Jay Herring 2, Nathan McGraw. 3B – S: Tanner Miller. HR – S: Herring, Miller. B: Quay Grant. Records: Burkburnett (17-16), Sanger (23-7).