In order for a baseball team to score a lot of runs they must have a top-notch table setter, an extraordinary leadoff man, a guy who gets on base most of the time so the big bats in the three and four hole have someone to drive in on a regular basis. The Hendrickson Hawks have this person and his name is Tyler Havins.

Havins, the Hawks senior second baseman, has been all that and more this year, leading the team with a .460 batting average and a .525 on-base percentage. Havins also has 10 doubles, has scored 26 runs and, surprisingly, is the team leader in RBIs with 23. So to say he is no small part of the fact Hendrickson wrapped up the district title with a win over Lake Travis on Friday is probably an understatement.

“Since I was 12 years old I’ve been playing with four or five of these guys,” Havins said last week. “We’ve got real good chemistry. We are working hard after practice and doing the extra stuff we need to do to get better.”

When talking to Havins one gets the idea the old saying “practice makes perfect” means a lot to him. In fact, he credits hard work with most of his success.

“I’ve spent a lot of time practicing in the cages,” he said of his hitting. “Coach tells us to hit it up the middle and I focus on that, but it’s a lot of practice. I’ve never had as high a batting average as I do now. All the hard work has paid off and it feels great. I’m hitting in key situations and we’re scoring runs.”

Havins is one of seven seniors on the Hendrickson squad and he says that fact has not escaped him.

“It’s been good,” he said of his senior year,” Last year Eric Garcia was the leader of the team and now he’s playing at Missouri. I’m trying to follow in his footsteps.”

Havins hopes the gaudy numbers he is putting up this year land him a chance to ply his trade in college next year. However, he still is unsure where he might play.

“I want to play somewhere,” he said. “I’m hoping to get some offers, otherwise, I’ll try out somewhere.”

Like many baseball players before him, Havins said he first learned the game from his father.

“When I was real little my dad threw to me,” he explained. “I picked up the bat and have played ever since.”

When asked what his favorite part of the game was, Havins response was hardly surprising.

“I love hitting,” he said. “Defense wins championships but you have to have offense to do it too. It feels great to get a hit.”

With just a few games left in the regular season, Havins hopes to keep hitting for the Hawks for as long as he can.

“I want to keep my batting average up and produce,” he said. “We want to get as far as we can and go undefeated in district.”

As is the case for most good teams, Havins and the Hawks are talking about a long playoff run and eyeing the state tournament. Currently ranked No. 4 in the Texas High School Baseball Coaches Association poll, Hendrickson would seem to have what it takes to do just that. In Havins opinion, the team must continue to work hard if they are to realize the ultimate goal.

“We have to focus practice,” he said. “We have to do whatever we can to get better.”