Gladiator Baseball honors seniors and treats fans to undefeated district title

Image: As a former player of Coach Loyd Davidson (1927-2010) who Davidson Field in Italy is named after, I know he’s thrilled to see Italy win the 2014 District Championship with a perfect mark of 10-0. In the photo: After defeating Frost 12-4 at home to finish their district campaign strong, Italy ISD Principal Lee Joffre presents the Gladiators with the championship trophy!

As a former player of Coach Loyd Davidson (1927-2010) who Davidson Field in Italy is named after, I know he’s thrilled to see Italy win the 2014 District Championship with a perfect mark of 10-0. In the photo: After defeating Frost 12-4 at home to finish their district campaign strong, Italy ISD Principal Lee Joffre presents the Gladiators with the championship trophy! (Barry Byers)

Image: Senior Gladiators Bailey Walton(17), Tyler Anderson(11), Kevin Roldan(16) and Zain Byers(5) are honored before the game versus Frost as part of the Senior Day celebration before their final home game. Fellow senior Eric Carson missed the game while representing Italy at the regional track meet in Abilene.

Senior Gladiators Bailey Walton(17), Tyler Anderson(11), Kevin Roldan(16) and Zain Byers(5) are honored before the game versus Frost as part of the Senior Day celebration before their final home game. Fellow senior Eric Carson missed the game while representing Italy at the regional track meet in Abilene. (Barry Byers)

Image: The Gladiators take a pre-game lap out to the new scoreboard to warmup and for a little bonding time.

The Gladiators take a pre-game lap out to the new scoreboard to warmup and for a little bonding time. (Barry Byers)

Image: Tyler Anderson(11) collides with the Frost catcher, the ball gets away and Anderson scores the run for Italy.

Tyler Anderson(11) collides with the Frost catcher, the ball gets away and Anderson scores the run for Italy. (Barry Byers)

Image: Kevin Roldan(16) is hit with the ball, again, while still healing from a bruised cheek after taking a pitch to the face earlier in the season.

Kevin Roldan(16) is hit with the ball, again, while still healing from a bruised cheek after taking a pitch to the face earlier in the season. (Barry Byers)

Image: John Byers(18) needed just one at bat to leave his mark on the game when he hit a single that scored two for the Gladiators.

John Byers(18) needed just one at bat to leave his mark on the game when he hit a single that scored two for the Gladiators. (Barry Byers)

Image: Itay’s John Byers(18) beats the attempted throw to first-base with Frost unable to stop him.

Itay’s John Byers(18) beats the attempted throw to first-base with Frost unable to stop him. (Barry Byers)

Image: “Kablam!” That’s the sound fans heard when this blurring blast from John Escamilla(7) smacked the left field wall at the 235 foot mark. The jolt resulted in a double for the junior who has maintained a reliable bat during Italy’s district championship run.

“Kablam!” That’s the sound fans heard when this blurring blast from John Escamilla(7) smacked the left field wall at the 235 foot mark. The jolt resulted in a double for the junior who has maintained a reliable bat during Italy’s district championship run. (Barry Byers)

Image: John Escamilla(7) acknowledges his dugout buds and their appreciation as he stands triumphantly atop second base after recording a double.

John Escamilla(7) acknowledges his dugout buds and their appreciation as he stands triumphantly atop second base after recording a double. (Barry Byers)

Image: Kyle Fortenberry(14) hits to reach first-base and then heads to second after the overthrow.

Kyle Fortenberry(14) hits to reach first-base and then heads to second after the overthrow. (Barry Byers)

Image: The Gladiator dugout empties as Levi McBride(1) hops onto a home plate after turning a deep hit into centerfield into an inside-the-park home run.

The Gladiator dugout empties as Levi McBride(1) hops onto a home plate after turning a deep hit into centerfield into an inside-the-park home run. (Barry Byers)

Image: Levi McBride(1) is congratulated by his Gladiator teammates after the sophomore recorded his second homer of the season.

Levi McBride(1) is congratulated by his Gladiator teammates after the sophomore recorded his second homer of the season. (Barry Byers)

Image: Senior Bailey Walton(1) gives his cousin Levi McBride(1) a huge hug after McBride’s home run effort. It was the momentum Italy needed to begin their final assault on the Polar Bears.

Senior Bailey Walton(1) gives his cousin Levi McBride(1) a huge hug after McBride’s home run effort. It was the momentum Italy needed to begin their final assault on the Polar Bears. (Barry Byers)

Image: Levi McBride(7) receives a love tap from his father Darrell McBride after Levi completes his second home run lap of the season during a 12-4 win over Frost. No fences here.

Levi McBride(7) receives a love tap from his father Darrell McBride after Levi completes his second home run lap of the season during a 12-4 win over Frost. No fences here. (Barry Byers)

Image: Gladiator senior Zain Byers(5) gets under a popup between first and second-base for an out late in the contest against Frost.

Gladiator senior Zain Byers(5) gets under a popup between first and second-base for an out late in the contest against Frost. (Barry Byers)

Image: Gladiator senior Kevin Roldan(16) is subbed out by junior John Byers(18) as Byers presents Roldan with an engraved wooden baseball bat decorated with team signatures.

Gladiator senior Kevin Roldan(16) is subbed out by junior John Byers(18) as Byers presents Roldan with an engraved wooden baseball bat decorated with team signatures. (Barry Byers)

Image: Bailey Walton(17) fields a ground ball and then scuttles over to step on his first-base bag for the out. Fellow senior Zain Byers(5) backs up the play.

Bailey Walton(17) fields a ground ball and then scuttles over to step on his first-base bag for the out. Fellow senior Zain Byers(5) backs up the play. (Barry Byers)

Image: Gladiator senior Bailey Walton(17) is subbed out by junior Tyler Vencill(15) as Vencill presents Walton with an engraved wooden baseball bat signed by all the Italy players and coaches.

Gladiator senior Bailey Walton(17) is subbed out by junior Tyler Vencill(15) as Vencill presents Walton with an engraved wooden baseball bat signed by all the Italy players and coaches. (Barry Byers)

Image: Tyler Vencill(15) forces a Frost runner back to the bag.

Tyler Vencill(15) forces a Frost runner back to the bag. (Barry Byers)

Image: Sophomore Ryan Connor(4) finished off Frost with a determined effort for his teammates, and especially the seniors. Wild horses could not have pulled Connor off the mound and neither could the Polar Bears. Connor recorded five strikeouts and two hits to secure the win for senior pitcher Tyler Anderson who started the game.

Sophomore Ryan Connor(4) finished off Frost with a determined effort for his teammates, and especially the seniors. Wild horses could not have pulled Connor off the mound and neither could the Polar Bears. Connor recorded five strikeouts and two hits to secure the win for senior pitcher Tyler Anderson who started the game. (Barry Byers)

Image: Gladiator third-baseman John Byers(18) ends any hopes for a Frost rally when he fields a grounder, steps on the bag for the force out and then throws across the infield for the final out at first-base. A double-play!

Gladiator third-baseman John Byers(18) ends any hopes for a Frost rally when he fields a grounder, steps on the bag for the force out and then throws across the infield for the final out at first-base. A double-play! (Barry Byers)

Image: John Byers(18) gets congratulated by his teammates after pulling off a game-ending double-play to secure Italy’s 12-4 district win over Frost.

John Byers(18) gets congratulated by his teammates after pulling off a game-ending double-play to secure Italy’s 12-4 district win over Frost. (Barry Byers)

Image: The Senior Five (minus one with teammate Eric Carson competing representing Italy Track & Field at regionals in Abilene): Pictured are Bailey Walton, Tyler Anderson, Zain Byers and Kevin Roldan. The Gladiators posted a perfect district record of 10-0 to go with their 2014 District Championship after defeating the Frost Polar Bears 12-4 in Italy at Davidson Field.

The Senior Five (minus one with teammate Eric Carson competing representing Italy Track & Field at regionals in Abilene): Pictured are Bailey Walton, Tyler Anderson, Zain Byers and Kevin Roldan. The Gladiators posted a perfect district record of 10-0 to go with their 2014 District Championship after defeating the Frost Polar Bears 12-4 in Italy at Davidson Field. (Barry Byers)

Image: Catching Perfection: Congratulations to the Hitmen of the Gladiator Baseball team for chasing, and eventually catching, district perfection with an undefeated 10-0 record. Back row (L-R): Assistant coach Brandon Ganske, assistant coach Jackie Cate, John Byers, Zain Byers (Sr.), Kevin Roldan (Sr.), Kyle Fortenberry (Sr.), Kenneth Norwood, Jr., Cody Boyd, Bailey Walton (Sr.), Levi McBride, head coach Jon Cady and Ryan Connor. Bottom row (L-R): John Escamilla, Tyler Anderson (Sr.), Ty Windham and Tyler Vencill. Not pictured is Eric Carson (Sr.).

Catching Perfection: Congratulations to the Hitmen of the Gladiator Baseball team for chasing, and eventually catching, district perfection with an undefeated 10-0 record. Back row (L-R): Assistant coach Brandon Ganske, assistant coach Jackie Cate, John Byers, Zain Byers (Sr.), Kevin Roldan (Sr.), Kyle Fortenberry (Sr.), Kenneth Norwood, Jr., Cody Boyd, Bailey Walton (Sr.), Levi McBride, head coach Jon Cady and Ryan Connor. Bottom row (L-R): John Escamilla, Tyler Anderson (Sr.), Ty Windham and Tyler Vencill. Not pictured is Eric Carson (Sr.). (Barry Byers)

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