Eagles sweep San Antonio Johnson 8-7 in Game Two of Regional Semi-Finals Championship, Advance to Regional Finals next week
By: Ricardo E. Calderon
Live from the Alice Coyotes Baseball Sports Complex
The Eagle Pass High School Eagles swept the potent San Antonio Johnson High School Jaguars in two consecutive games in the UIL Region IV Semi-Finals Baseball Championship by the scores of 13-3 in Game One on Friday, May 24, 2013 and by 8-7 in Game Two on Saturday, May 25th, at the Alice Coyotes Baseball Sports Complex in Alice, Texas, earning the right to play next week for the Region IV Finals Baseball Championship against the San Antonio O”Connor High School Panthers who defeated the Laredo United High School Longhorns 2-1in the other Regional Semi-Finals series on Saturday, May 25th, also in Alice, Texas.
Over 300 loyal Eagles baseball fans from Eagle Pass and throughout Texas attended the Eagles series against San Antonio Johnson in Alice, cheering the Eagles on to victory.
The Eagles combined the pitching arms of starter Gilbert Villalobos, reliever Chris Perez, and starter but used as a reliever Devon Torres to shut down the potent Jaguars batters in the second game 8-7. The Jaguars starting ace pitcher Tate Huebner hurled the complete seven innings for San Antonio Johnson in taking the hard fought loss. Chris Perez earned the win and Devon Torres earned the save. Eagles relief pitcher Dillon Elguezabal was ready if called upon.
The Eagles trailed early in the game by scores of 2-0 and 6-4 in the fourth inning but managed to rally against the Jaguars’ pitcher Tate Huebner finally hitting him in the latter innings to score 8 runs and calling senior hurler Devon Torres to come in relief for the final one and two-thirds innings to save the victory for the Eagles.
In the top of the first inning, the visitor-designated Eagles batters struggled with the slower speed curve balls and change ups of Jaguars starting pitcher Tate Huebner going three up and three down.
The home team Jaguars threatened to score in the bottom of the first inning as leadoff hitter Nick Mireles singled up the middle to get on base off of Eagles starting pitcher Gilbert Villalobos, who started slow and struggled with his control, Eagles catcher Diego Gaona threw a perfect throw to Eagles shortstop Eric Gonzalez who tagged out Mireles attempting to steal second base for the first out, followed by three consecutive base on balls given up by Villalobos loading the bases for the Jaguars with one out, Villalobos then struck out the dangerous Randy Stuart for the second out,, and Zack Smith hit a fielder’s choice groundball for the third out. The Eagles escaped the inning without giving up any runs to the Jaguars.
The Eagles standout third baseman Juan Lopez slammed a double to right center field with one out in the top of the second inning threatening to score but the next two Eagles hitters grounded out and flied out to end the scoring threat.
The Jaguars once again threatened to score in the bottom of the second inning with leadoff batter Zach Hammer receiving a base on balls but Villalobos got Jaguars pitcher Tate Huebner to ground out to shortstop for a double play, Alex Hernandez doubled to center field with two outs, Nick Mireles legged out a groundball to third base for an infield single advancing Hernandez to third base, and the next Jaguars batter grounded out to standout Eagles freshman first baseman Mando Lopez for the third out. The Eagles stout defense held the Jaguars from scoring.
In the top of the third inning, the Eagles could only muster one base hit as standout Eagles shortstop Eric Gonzalez belted a single to center field with two outs despite nursing a sprained ankle and keeping the game scoreless.
The Jaguars punched two runs in the bottom of the third inning to take a 2-0 lead as Mark Whitehead doubled to left center field to lead off, the following two Jaguars batters struck out and flied out to third base, but Zach Smith slapped a triple down the right field line scoring Whitehead to take a 1-0 lead, Zach Hammer singled down the third base line scoring Smith for the second run and promptly stole second base, and then Eagles pitcher Gilbert Villalobos surprised Hammer at second base picking him off with the assistance of Eagles shortstop Eric Gonzalez to end the Jaguars scoring.
The never say die Eagles responded with four runs in the top of the fourth inning retaking a 4-2 lead as Mando Lopez belted a double off of a Tate Heubner curve ball down the right field line with one out to get on base and Fernando Garza came in to pinch run for him, Juan Lopez stroked a single to left center field advancing Garza to third base and Olexis Gutierrez came in to pinch run for Lopez, standout Eagles second baseman R.J. Ruiz slapped an RBI single to left field scoring Garza and advancing Gutierrez to third base and Ruiz went to second on the throw in from the outfield, standout Eagles left fielder Javy Cardona joined the Eagles hit parade legging out an infield hit scoring Gutierrez, the next Eagles batter struck out for the second out, senior designated hitter Roland Rodriguez hit a hard groundball to second base which went right through the Jaguars second baseman legs scoring Ruiz and Javy Cardona, and the next Eagles batter hit a fielder’s choice groundball for the third out. The Eagles finally caught up with Jaguars pitcher Tate Huebner’s slower and scrappy pitching style.
The determined Jaguars roared back scoring four runs of their own with two outs in the bottom of the fourth inning regaining the lead 6-4 as Nick Mireles belted a single to left center field, Connor Gesell also singled to left field advancing Mireles to second base, Mark Whitehead stroked an RBI single to right field scoring Mireles causing Eagles head coach Reynol Mendoza to bring in Eagles relief pitcher Chris Perez for starter Gilbert Villalobos, Tanner Wall received an intentional walk loading the bases, Randy Stuart lined a Chris Perez fastball to left center field for a 3 RBI double, and the next batter grounded out for the third out.
The Eagles rallied for three runs in the top of the fifth inning to retake a 7-6 lead off of Jaguars pitcher Tate Huebner as standout Eagles center fielder Devon Torres legged out an infield hit, Diego Gaona belted a single to left center field advancing Torres to second base and Alex Martinez came in to pinch run for him, Mando Lopez stroked an RBI single to right center field scoring Torres, Jaguars skipper Gordy Gesell ordered Jaguar pitcher Tate Heubner to give Eagles third baseman Juan Lopez an intentional walk out of respect for his outstanding hitting loading the bases, R.J. Ruiz rose to the occasion belting an RBI single to left field scoring Martinez, the next Eagles batter struck out for the first out, standout Eagles right fielder Jacoup Ruiz lined an RBI single to right field scoring Mando Lopez and Juan Lopez was thrown out at home attempting to score for the second out, and the next Eagles batter flied out to end the inning.
The Jaguars threatened to score in the bottom of the fifth inning but Eagles relief pitcher Chris Perez struck out two batters and another grounded out stranding one Jaguar base runner at second base.
The Eagles tallied the eventual game winning run in the top of the sixth inning to extend their lead 8-6 as Diego Gaona drew a base on balls with two outs and Alex Martinez came in to pinch run for him, Alex Martinez stole second base, Mando Lopez also was issued a base on balls, Juan Lopez blasted an RBI single to left center field scoring Martinez and advancing Lopez to second base, R.J. Ruiz got on base on a Jaguars fielding error loading the bases, and Ruiz got into a run down between first and second bases and Mando Lopez was tagged out at home attempting to score on the Ruiz run down.
The scrappy Jaguars still had a lot of fight in them scoring one run in the bottom of the sixth inning narrowing the score 8-7 as Mark Whitehead got on base on an Eagles infield error and advance to second base on the throwing error, the next Jaguar hitter flied out, Randy Stuart singled to left field advancing Whitehead to third base, Zach Smith belted an RBI single to center field scoring Whitehead causing Eagles head coach Reynol Mendoza to bring in Eagles standout pitcher Devon Torres in relief of Chris Perez with the game on the line, and Devon Torres did his job striking out the next two Jaguars batters to end the Jaguars scoring threat stranding runners at second and first base.
The Eagles went three up and three down in the top of the seventh inning as Jaguars pitcher Tate Huebner held the Eagles from scoring any additional runs and giving his team an opportunity to tie or retake the lead in their last at bat in the bottom of the seventh inning.
Eagles pitcher Devon Torres continued his mastery over the Jaguars batters as he got the first batter to strike out, the next to fly out to center field, and the final batter to ground out to preserve the Eagles victory over the Jaguars by the score of 8-7 and punching the Eagles ticket to the Region IV Finals Championship against the San Antonio O’Connor Panthers this coming week. The Eagles players, coaches, trainers, parents, and fans jumped in jubilation and celebration of the Eagles sweep of the potent San Antonio Johnson Jaguars.
Leading the Eagles offensive machine was standout third baseman Juan Lopez who batted 3 for 3 with a double, two singles, one RBI, and scored one run; Mando Lopez went 2 for 3 with a double and a single, one RBI, and scored two runs; R.J. Ruiz was 2 for 4 with two singles, two big RBIs, and scored one run; Diego Gaona batted 1 for 3 with one single and scored two runs; Eric Gonzalez went 1 for 4 with one single; Devon Torres was 1 for 4 with one single and scored one run; Javy Cardona batted 1 for 4 with one single, one RBI, and scored one run; and Jacop Roiz went 1 for 4 with one single and one RBI.
The Eagle Pass Eagles are under the direction of Head Coach Reynol Mendoza, Assistant Coaches Heriberto Roiz and Henry Silva, and Volunteer Coaches Mario Trevino, Michael Villarreal, Chris Villa, Joe Villa, and Coach Hinojosa.
The Eagle Pass Business Journal congratulates the Eagle Pass Eagles on their Region IV Semi-Finals Championship against the San Antonio Johnson Jaguars and wishes them the best of luck in the Region IV Finals Championship against the San Antonio O’Connor Panthers. Go Eagles Go! Beat the Panthers!
