Eagles vs. Laredo Alexander baseball game called-off in 7th inninng due to melee
By: Ricardo E. Calderon
An Exclusive Eagle Pass Business Journal News Article/Copyright 2013
The Eagle Pass High School Eagles varsity baseball game with the Laredo Alexander High School Bulldogs on Tuesday, March 5, 2013, at the Eagle Pass Independent School District Student Activity Center Baseball Stadium was called-off by the home plate umpire in the top of the seventh inning with no outs with the game tied 5 to 5 as a melee between the Eagles and Bulldogs players and coaches ensued causing both team benches to come onto the field.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, the Eagles rallied to tie the game 5 to 5 with two outs and bases loaded on a foul fly ball to right field causing the Eagles baserunner on third-base to tag up and score followed by a bad throw from the Bulldogs right-fielder to home plate getting by the Bulldogs catcher causing the Eagles to score a second run and as another Eagle base runner rounded third-base the Bulldogs third-baseman interfered with the Eagle runner who was thrown out at home plate for what appeared to be the third out of the inning with the score 5 to 4 in favor of the Bulldogs. Eagles head baseball coach, Reynol Mendoza, appealed to the bases umpire claiming interference by the Bulldogs third-baseman and the umpires had a conference among themselves and granted Coach Mendoza’s appeal of interference allowing the Eagle baserunner at home to be called safe instead of out and causing the game to become tied 5 to 5 with two outs. After tying the game, the Eagles made a third out to end the sixth inning.
The umpires decision granting the Eagles appeal of interference allowing the game to become tied at 5 to 5 upset the Bulldogs players, coaches, and fans in the bleachers. Some Laredo Alexander fans in the bleachers demonstrated unsportsmanlike behavior causing the home plate umpire to call the EPISD Administrator and Security at the game to remove three to four Bulldogs fans from the stadium.
While the Eagles players, coaches, and fans celebrated having tied the game, the Laredo Alexander players, coaches, and fans were in disbelief and upset with the umpires decision to grant the interference appeal.
As the first Laredo Alexander batter came up to bat at the home plate in the top of the seventh inning, the Bulldogs batter said some unsportsmanlike words to the Eagles catcher who replied back causing both the Eagles head coach and Bulldogs head coach to come up to the field and began exchanging words causing both team benches to clear and meet on the field as both teams coaches attempted to separate players and ordered them back to their benches. The home plate umpire decided to call off the game due to the heightened tensions demonstrated between the two teams in the top of the seventh inning with no outs and the game tied 5 to 5.
The game was the opening game for both teams of the 2013 District 29-5A baseball season. Both teams will be charged with a tied game on their District 29-5A records.
