Eagles crush San Antonio Johnson 13-3 via ten run rule in Sixth Inning to win Game One of Regional Semi-Finals Championship
By: Ricardo E. Calderon
Live from the Alice Coyotes Baseball Sports Complex
The Eagle Pass High School Eagles crushed the San Antonio Johnson High School Jaguars by a score of 13-3 via the ten run rule in the bottom of the sixth inning in Game One of their scheduled best of three series for the Region IV Semi-Finals Championship on Friday, May 24, 2013, at the Alice Independent School District Coyotes Baseball Sports Complex in Alice, Texas, in a rain-delayed game which did not start until 11:30 p.m. on Friday, May 24th, and ended at 1:50 a.m. on Saturday, May 25th.
Game Two of the best of three series is scheduled on Saturday, May 25th, at 2 p.m. at the Alice Coyotes Baseball Sports Complex and, if necessary, Game Three will be 30 minutes following Game Two at the same field.
Eagles standout southpaw pitcher Devon Torres went the distance (6 innings) to earn the victory allowing only six hits, nine strikeouts, two walks, and three runs. San Antonio Johnson ace pitcher Jerod Vick took the loss going five innings and was relieved by Ryan Watson and Clayton Purvis allowing 12 Eagles hits, four walks, four errors, and 13 runs in total.
The Eagles batters punished the San Antonio Johnson Jaguars pitching corps for 12 base hits including two towering solo home runs by Eagles third baseman Juan Lopez over the 375 feet sign in left center field in the third inning and Eagles catcher Diego Gaona over the 310 feet left field sign in the fifth inning to clinch Game One of the best of three series.
In the first inning, both teams got the playoff jitters aside as both failed to score any runs.
In the top of the second inning, Eagles pitcher Devon Torres struck out the side to retire the Jaguars middle part of the batting lineup.
The designated home team Eagles exploded for four big runs in the bottom of the second inning which pretty much set the tempo of the game as standout Eagles third baseman Juan Lopez led off the inning with a double to the center field fence, R.J. Ruiz flied out for the first out, Javy Cardona stroked an RBI single up the middle scoring Lopez, Jacoup Roiz belted a single down the third base line advancing Cardona to third base, Kevin Chisum hit a hard infield groundball resulting in Roiz put out at second base but the throw to first base was an error scoring Cardona for the second run, Chisum stole second base and scored the third run on two throwing errors by the Jaguars, Eric Gonzalez slammed a single to right center field and scored the fourth Eagles run on two throwing errors by the Jaguars again to give the Eagles a 4-0 lead which they would never relinquish.
In the top of the third inning, Eagles pitcher Devon Torres continued to baffle and dominate the Jaguars batters with his breaking curve ball, change up, and fastball going three up and down to protect the Eagles 4-0 lead.
Eagles standout third baseman Juan Lopez belted a towering solo home run way past the 375 feet left center field fence sign with two outs to add another run and give the Eagles a commanding 5-0 lead in the third inning.
The San Antonio Johnson Jaguars scored one run in the top of the fourth inning narrowing the score 5-1 on a lead off base on balls and a single and groundout. The Eagles went three up and down in the bottom of the fourth inning.
The Jaguars once again scored one run in the top of the fifth inning to narrow the score 5-2 on a base on balls, sacrifice bunt, and an RBI double by Jaguars right fielder Nick Mireles.
The Eagles hit parade against the Jaguars starting pitcher Jerod Vick continued in the bottom of the fifth inning scoring two runs on a booming solo home run by standout Eagles catcher Diego Gaona over the 310 feet left field sign with one out, standout Eagles freshman first baseman Mando Lopez belted a single to left field and Olexis Gutierrez came in to pinch run for Lopez, Juan Lopez slammed a single down the third base line advancing Gutierrez to third base and Lopez got into a run down going to second base for the second out causing Gutierrez to score on the run down sliding underneath the Jaguars catcher’s tag at home plate for the second run, giving the Eagles a 7-2 lead and chasing Jaguars starting pitcher Jerod Vick out of the game.
The Jaguars tallied one run in the top of the sixth inning to make it a game at 7-3 on a bunt single, fielder’s choice, and an RBI fly to center field by Randy Stuart.
The Eagles feasted on Jaguars relief pitchers Ryan Watson and Clayton Purvis in the bottom of the sixth inning scoring seven runs to win via the ten run rule as Jacoup Roiz was hit by a pitch with one out and promptly stole second base, Jack Acuna came in to pinch hit for Kevin Chisum and received a base on balls and Kevin Chisum re-entered the game to run for Acuna, Eric Gonzalez received a base on balls advancing Roiz to third base and Chisum to second base and Fernando Garza came in to pinch run for Gonzalez, Devon Torres hit an infield ground ball throwing out Roiz at home while getting on base on the throw to home and advancing Chisum to third base and Garza to second base, with bases loaded Diego Gaona slammed a 2 RBI single to left field scoring Chisum and Garza, Mando Lopez continued the Eagles hit parade belting an RBI single to right center field scoring Torres and advancing Gaona to second base, Juan Lopez received a base on balls after hitting a home run earlier in the game, and R.J. Ruiz stepped up to the plate and blasted a 2 RBI single to left field scoring Gaona and Mando Lopez to win the game via the ten run rule by the final score of 13-3.
Leading the Eagles offensive firepower were standout third baseman Juan Lopez batting 3 for 3 with one home run, a double, a single, one RBI, and scored three runs; Diego Gaona went 2 for 4 with one home run, a single, three RBIs, and scored two run; R..J. Ruiz was 2 for 4 with two singles, RBIs, and one stolen base; Mando Lopez hit 2 for 4 with two singles, one RBI, and scored two runs; Javy Cardona batted 1 for 3 with one single, one RBI, and scored one run; Eric Gonzalez went 1 for 2 with one single and scored two runs; Jacoup Roiz hit 1 for 2 with one single and one stolen base; Kevin Chisum scored two runs; and Devon Torres scored one run.
The Alice Independent School District School Board, Alice High School, Athletic Department and Director, and field maintenance crew did an incredible job of keeping the infield covered with a tarp, draining water from the outfield and foul territory, and redoing the pitcher’s mound and home plate area with new, dry sand and dirt to prepare the field for the game despite a steady rain in Alice, Texas from 3 p.m. to 7:30 p.m..
Originally, Game One was scheduled to be played in Eagle Pass on Friday, May 24th, at 7 p.m. but an unexpected thunderstorm struck Eagle Pass at 7 a.m. for about an hour making the Eagle Pass ISD Student Activity Center Baseball Field unplayable, forcing the series be moved to a neutral site at Alice, Texas. The same thunderstorms which hit Eagle Pass traveled east towards Alice and the Corpus Christi, Texas area jeopardizing the Eagles Game One and best of three series against San Antonio Johnson, but the outstanding job done by the people of Alice ISD made the game possible tonight/this morning. Thank you, Alice ISD.
Both teams will square off later today, Saturday, May 25th, at 2 p.m. to resume and play Game Two of their best of three series. The Eagles will seek to carry their Game One victory momentum and confidence to close out the series in Game Two. Probable starters for Game Two are standout Eagles senior right hander Gilbert Villalobos and Jaguars ace right hander Tate Heubner. Eagles reserve pitchers Dillon Elguezabal and Chris Perez are ready if called upon to come in relief of Villalobos.
