Jeren Peńa sends Ira baseball to first state tournament appearance in dominant fashion
Toby Goodwin wasn't really sure what to say after the Ira baseball team finally punched its ticket to the state tournament.
Goodwin felt like the Bulldogs should've had this celebration two years ago. That fell short when Ira lost to Nazareth in the third game of their Region I-1A championship series. Making the situation more difficult to stomach was the opposing coach, Goodwin's son Tyler, who learned everything from his dad to get the Swifts to state.
Jeren Peńa said the memory of that loss still lingers with him and other members of this year's team, even ones who weren't on the roster in 2022. Peńa was a freshman back then with another Peńa, Jerek, as the team's ace pitcher and the Class 1A player of the year. On Friday, it was Jeren who got the call for Ira in the one-game, winner-take-all game against Morton.
"I don't feel any pressure with my teammates out there behind me," Peńa said. "I just wanted to come out there, throw strikes and if they hit the ball, we're gonna make a play."
Morton, though, wasn't able to muster many hits. The lone success came in the first inning when Morton took an early 1-0 lead.
Peńa made sure it was short-lived. He led off the bottom of the first with an inside-the-park home run, allowed just one base runner the rest of the game and struck out 10 to lead Ira to the 11-1, five-inning region championship.
Having had both Jerek and Jeren on the mound in region championship appearances over the last three seasons, Goodwin couldn't decide which one he'd take over the other.
"I want a Peńa," Goodwin said with a chuckle.
One Peńa was certainly enough this year, assuring Ira of its first appearance in the state tournament in team history. Kaden Castillo did his share as well, hitting three doubles and driving in four runs.
Morton coach Gary McLendon said it was his preference to have a one-game series rather than the traditional three. It didn't work out in his favor, but he wasn't second guessing it.
"It was one of those things," McLendon said. "Put best on best and see what happens, and you gotta give Ira all the credit in the world. They got a good little ball club. Hit the ball, put it in play, and they really, really played great ball today."
McLendon said he's looking at the loss with a positive spin, knowing he'll have every member of this year's team — which made the region final for the first time ever — coming back for another crack next year.
Goodwin knows how hard that is to do, though. Ira was unable to replicate its 2022 run to the region final this year. The Bulldogs came back in 2024 with a mindset to make up for opportunities lost.
It's also why Goodwin didn't have a grand speech prepared after the victory. He could have considering the team's undefeated record throughout the season. Instead, he let the moment do the talking for him.
"One thing we learned two years ago," Goodwin said, "because it was in our hand there, we had it, up 12-4, but it's something to prove. No mercy. It's never enough. I don't like making plans beforehand anymore. I just try not to do that. Let's take the moment that we have, and that's been the difference this year. Let's take care of right now."
Region I-1A baseball championship
Ira 11, Morton 1 (5)
Morton 100 00 — 1 1 4
Ira 104 24 — 11 10 0
Lane Lyon and AJ Mendoza (5). Jeren Pena. W — Pena. L — Lyon. 2B — Demitri Juarez, Kaden Castillo (3); 3B — Ira, Pena, Raidan Hernandez; HR — Ira, Pena.
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Jeren Peńa sends Ira baseball to first state tournament appearance
