When the opportunity to officially punch a postseason ticket knocked Friday, Hays High’s baseball team wasted no time in slamming down the door.

A nine-run blitz over the first three frames was enough for Hays (24-7, 10-6) to cruise past the Del Valle Cardinals in a 9-0 win to close the regular season.

The victory, along with a Bowie loss to Westlake, allowed Hays to secure third place in 25-6A, marking the team’s first playoff berth since the 2017 season.

Rebel head coach James Howard...