SANGER — After capturing the No. 1 seed in District 8-3A, Sanger is on the verge of becoming the most successful baseball team in school history, if it hasn’t already.

Sanger finished the regular season as co-champions in District 8-3A, sharing the honors with Argyle, which conceded the top seed. Sanger had not captured a district title in 30 years prior to this season.

Cole Stephens

The Indians have a chance to continue their record-setting season when the team faces Burkburnett in a best-of-three area round playoff series starting Thursday. Sanger is one victory away from tying the record for most wins in a season, set by the 2005 team that won 22 games. Sanger can also advance past the area round for the time in school history.

So what’s the difference between this year’s team and past ones?

First-year head coach Tracy Howard said this team possesses a level of chemistry among the players that has lacked in years past.

“The main difference between this team and any other team in the past is chemistry,” Howard said. “We may not have all the talent that we’ve had in the past, but where we lack in talent in some areas, we have stepped up as far as jelling together as a team.”

With 21 wins and a share of the district title, Sanger has exceeded many expectations for a team that lost six starters from a year ago.

“A lot of people didn’t even think we were going to make the playoffs this year,” Howard said. “We graduated six starters last year, but we have had some guys step up.

“They surpassed any expectations that even I set for them. And that’s been really neat to see. I have been blessed with a really good group of kids.”

Pitching has been among the main reasons for Sanger’s success this season. Senior ace Cole Stephens and junior Chase Knight have combined for 16 wins. The duo will provide Sanger with a solid one-two punch in the playoff series, with catcher Tanner Miller taking the mound as a possible No. 3 pitching option.

Stephens is 9-1 on the hill in 12 starts with a 2.04 ERA in 75 1/3 innings pitched. The senior has more than triple the amount of strikeouts (126) as hits allowed (40).

“Cole has been our No. 1 since he was a sophomore,” Howard said. “He is the type of kid on the mound who doesn’t feel pressure, and if he does, then he sure doesn’t act like it.”

Knight, meanwhile, is more of a ground ball pitcher, as opposed to Stephens, who aims for strikeouts. Knight has compiled a 7-2 record in 54 innings pitched. He has tossed three one-hitters this season.

 “His [Knight’s] biggest strength is his off-speed pitches,” Howard said. “At times, he can step up there and throw the ball by batters, but he is more of a ground ball pitcher. His off-speed stuff is great, and when he can control it for strikes, he is very successful.”

Sanger (21-7) will need its pitchers to try to slow down Burkbur-nett (17-10), which swept Perryton in its bi-district playoff series, winning both games by a combined 24-7 margin.

“We [both teams] are pretty evenly matched,” Howard said. “I feel like we pitch a little bit better than they do. I feel like we play defense about the same. They may hit the ball a little bit better than we do.”

Sanger sluggers Josh Copeland and Justin Looper lead an offense that focuses on manufacturing runs. Copeland is batting .407 on the season, while Looper is at .385. Jay Herring is the team’s leading run producer with 25 RBIs.

The small-ball approach has worked for Sanger this season. The Indians have been able to produce runs despite a lack of power. Sanger has not hit a home run the entire season.

“We are not a team that hits for a lot of power,” Howard said, “but we have been successful because they have bought into what we’ve been preaching.”

Game 1 of the playoff series starts at 7:30 p.m. at Hoskins Field in Wichita Falls. The teams will conclude the series at 1 p.m. Saturday at Guyer.

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