The “What Might Have Been” feature series is Big Country Preps’ effort to celebrate area athletes who have seen their seasons affected by the COVID-19 outbreak. The series will continue through June 15 or until the UIL rules that high school athletics statewide may resume. If you have a suggested story for the “What Might Have Been” series, please contact Big Country Preps at Evan.Ren@BigCountryPreps.com.

Despite a modest 5-4 nondistrict record, the Hawley baseball team was positioning itself for another serious run at an elusive UIL state tournament berth. That is, until the coronavirus pandemic suspended UIL sports indefinitely.

The Bearcats last year won playoff series against Miles, Ozona and Stamford before falling 2-1 in a regional semifinal series against New Deal. All three games against New Deal were decided by one run. Hawley ended the season with a 23-13-1 record, which is why veteran coach Jamie Seago wasn’t concerned with the Class 2A Bearcats’ 5-4 start this season.

“Every school we had played was bigger than we are. We hadn’t played any other 2A teams yet,” said Seago, Hawley’s eighth-year coach who had seven returning starters for this season. “Our record is never an indicator of what kind of team we have.

“We’re never going to be that team that’s 36-0. It’s not about the wins and losses to us. If we’re playing well at the end of the season, our overall record doesn’t matter.”