Eagles rally to edge Mission Sharyland 10-9 in extra innings in Regional Quarter-Finals, Next Play San Antonio Johnson in Regional Semi-Finals
By: Ricardo E. Calderon
Live from the Harlandale ISD Frank M. Tejada Sports Complex Baseball Field
The mighty Eagle Pass High School Eagles rallied in the bottom of the seventh inning scoring two runs to tie the game at 9-9 and send it into extra innings and scored the winning run with two outs and bases loaded in the bottom of the eighth inning on a balk by Mission Sharyland Rattlers pitcher Pancho Martinez on standout Eagles junior second baseman R.J. Ruiz scoring Eagles pinch runner Alex Martinez clinching the U.I.L. Region IV Quarter-Finals Baseball Championship 10-9 against the heralded and second-ranked 5A team in the state, the Mission Sharyland High School Rattlers, sending the Eagles players, coaches, and loyal fans into pandemonium at the historic Eagles victory on Friday, May 17, 2013, at the San Antonio Harlandale Independent School District Frank M. Tejada Sports Complex Baseball Field in San Antonio, Texas.
Eagle Pass Eagles Head Coach Reynol Mendoza in an exclusive interview with the Eagle Pass Business Journal immediately following the thrilling game stated that “it was an amazing game. The win was a total team effort as the players never gave up and battled until the end.” Mendoza credited the Eagles for playing together as a team throughout the season and peaking as a team in the state playoffs.
The Mission Sharyland Rattlers were shocked that their season came to an abrupt end at the outstanding play of the Eagles who stood up to them run by run, hit by hit, play by play, and in the end handed the Rattlers only their second loss of the season, eliminating them from the playoffs. The Mission Sharyland Rattlers have actually filed an Incident Report with U.I.L. protesting the game on the selection method utilized by the Eagles coaching staff on Monday, May 20th, and seeking to replay the game. The U.I.L. State Executive Committee is investigating the allegations of the Mission Sharyland Incident Report with all the coaches and administrators involved. Unless Mission Sharyland files a lawsuit against U.I.L. and Eagle Pass High School seeking an injunction, the U.I.L. State Executive Committee will make a decision on Mission Sharyland’s Incident Report immediately following the conclusion of their investigation.
Meanwhile, the Eagles are scheduled to play the San Antonio Johnson High School Jaguars in the Region IV 5A Semi-Finals in a best of three series starting this Friday, May 24th, at the Eagle Pass Independent School District Student Activity Center Baseball Field with Game One at 7 p.m. in Eagle Pass and Game Two on Saturday, May 25th, at the San Antonio Northside Independent School District Blossom Athletic Center at 3 p.m. and, if necessary, Game Three following 30 minutes after Game Two at the same field.
The Eagles standout pitching staff of senior southpaw ace pitcher Devon Torres and senior right-hander ace hurler Gilbert Villalobos combined to defeat the Mission Sharyland Rattlers allowing the potent Rattlers hitters only 10 hits, 6 strikeouts, 5 bases on balls, 1 hit batsman, and 9 runs to earn the victory and complete the major upset of the Rattlers. Villalobos is credited with the win in relief of Torres. Eagles reserve pitchers Dillon Elguezabal and Chris Perez were ready if called upon.
The Rattlers standout pitchers Tres Barrera and Pancho Martinez allowed the aggressive Eagles hitters 14 hits, 10 strikeouts, 3 bases on balls, 1 hit batsman, and 10 runs in taking the loss.
The visiting Rattlers scored one run in the top of the first inning to take a 1-0 lead on two base hits and a walk against Eagles starting pitcher Devon Torres.
The homestanding Eagles rallied to score one run in the bottom of the first inning to tie the game at 1-1 a piece as Eagles leadoff hitter Eric Gonzalez stroked a single to right-center field, Devon Torres executed a perfect sacrifice bunt to advance Gonzalez to second base , Diego Gaona drew a walk and Alex Martinez came in to pinch run for him, standout freshman Eagles first baseman Mando Lopez belted a single to advance Gonzalez to third and pinch runner Alex Martinez to second, Juan Lopez hit a groundball to second base which was mishandled scoring Gonzalez and Lopez reaching first base and advancing Martinez to third base and Lopez to second base, and the next two Eagles batters struck out and grounded out to end the inning.
Both Rattlers starting pitcher Tres Barrera and Eagles starter Devon Torres got each other teams batters to go three up and down in the second inning to keep the game tied at 1-1 each.
The Rattlers erupted for three runs in the top of the third inning to take a 4-1 lead on two base hits, a balk against Eagles pitcher Devon Torres, and an Eagles catcher’s throwing error to third base before Torres struck out the side to end the inning.
The never say die Eagles exploded for six runs in the bottom of the third inning to take a 7-4 lead and bombarded Rattlers starting pitcher Tres Barrera with six consecutive hits forcing the Rattlers to relieve him with Pancho Martinez as Devon Torres got on base on an infield single and Olexis Gutierrez came in to pinch run for him, Diego Gaona slammed a single to left-center field advancing pinch runner Gutierrez to second base and Alex Martinez came in to pinch run for him, Mando Lopez stroked an RBI single to left-center field scoring Gutierrez and advancing pinch runner Martinez to third base, Juan Lopez belted an RBI single to left field scoring Martinez and advancing Mando Lopez to third base, R.J. Ruiz joined the Eagles hit parade slamming an RBI single to score Mando Lopez, Juan Lopez scored on a failed squeeze bunt but slid under the tag of the Rattlers shortstop, Javy Cardona belted a single to left field advancing Ruiz to third base and Rattlers starting pitcher Tres Barrera was relieved by Pancho Martinez, leadoff hitter Eric Gonzalez slammed a 2 RBI single to left-center field scoring Ruiz and Cardona, Devon Torres batted a second time in the inning and got on base on a perfectly executed bunt single, and the next Eagle batter flied out to end the inning.
The highly potent Rattlers rallied to score five runs in the top of the fourth inning to regain the lead 9-7 on five base hits, two bases on balls, and causing Eagles starter Devon Torres to be relieved after the inning by Gilbert Villalobos in the top of the fifth inning.
The Eagles went down quietly in the bottom of the fourth inning going three up and down with the Rattlers leading 9-7.
Eagles relief pitcher Gilbert Villalobos shut down the hot Rattlers bats in the top of the fifth inning getting them to go three up and down with the Rattlers still leading 9-7. Rattlers relief pitcher Pancho Martinez also settled down the sizzling Eagles batters going three up and down in the bottom of the fifth inning with the Rattlers still on top 9-7.
Both Eagles pitcher Gilbert Villalobos and Rattlers hurler Pancho Martinez silenced each team’s hitters in the sixth inning with the Rattlers ahead 9-7.
In the top of the seventh inning, Eagles hurler Gilbert Villalobos muzzled the Rattlers hitters going three up and down with the Rattlers leading 9-7 and the Eagles coming to bat. The Eagles rallied to score two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to tie the game 9-9 as Mando Lopez slammed a double down the right field line to lead off, Juan Lopez was hit by a pitch and Olexis Gutierrez came in to pinch run for him, R.J. Ruiz executed a perfect bunt single advancing Lopez to third base and Gutierrez to second base loading the bases with no outs, Javy Cardona struck out for the first out, Jacoup Roiz hit a groundball to second base and R.J. Ruiz slid into second base breaking up the double play before being put out himself causing Rattlers shortstop Tres Barrera to throw wide to first base scoring Lopez and Gutierrez to tie the game at 9-9 with one out while Rattlers shortstop Barrera was ejected from the game for arguing with the umpire and Rattlers head coach Barton Bickerton was restricted to the dugout for arguing the umpire’s call, and Kevin Chisum struck out to end the inning and sending the game into extra innings.
The Rattlers threatened to score in the top of the eighth inning as their leadoff batter was hit by a pitch by Eagles hurler Gilbert Villalobos, their second batter hit a groundball forcing an out at second base, the next batter struck out on a nasty curve ball by Eagles pitcher Gilbert Villalobos, the fourth batter received a base on balls giving the Rattlers life, and the fifth batter grounded out to end the Rattlers threat with the game still tied 9-9.
The Eagles battled Rattlers pitcher Pancho Martinez in the bottom of the eighth inning scoring one run on a called balk on Martinez by the third base umpire with bases loaded and two outs with R.J. Ruiz at the plate for the Eagles. Eagles standout shortstop Eric Gonzalez playing with a sprained ankle leadoff with a rattling double to the left-center field fence to reach base and represent the potential winning run with no outs and Alex Martinez came in to pinch run for him, Devon Torres executed a perfect sacrifice bunt advancing Martinez to third base, standout Eagles catcher Diego Gaona received an intentional walk, slugger Mando Lopez also received an intentional walk loading the bases, Dillon Elguezabal came in to pinch hit for Juan Lopez and struck out for the second out, R. J. Ruiz stepped up to the plate with bases loaded and two outs and the winning run just 90 feet at third base and Ruiz swung at the first pitch hitting a line drive down the right field line which everyone in the stadium believed was fair scoring Martinez for the win but the third base umpire unnoticed by the intensity of the game called a balk on Rattlers pitcher Pancho Martinez for failing to come to a complete stop before delivering the pitch to Ruiz causing Eagles pinch runner Alex Martinez to score the winning run.
The Eagles players, coaches, and fans jumped and cheered celebrating the amazing victory over the heralded Mission Sharyland Rattlers by the final score of 10-9, leaving the Rattlers players, coaches, and fans stunned by the turn of events and the realization they had been defeated.
Leading the Eagles on offense was standout freshman first baseman Mando Lopez who batted 4 for 4 with 3 singles, 1 double, 1 RBI, and scored 2 runs; Eric Gonzalez went 3 for 5 with 2 singles, 1 double, 2 RBIs, and scored 2 runs; R.J. Ruiz was 2 for 4 with 2 singles, 2 RBIs, and scored 1 run; Devon Torres batted 2 for 5 with 2 singles and scored 1 run; Diego Gaona went 1 for 3 with 1 single and scored 1 run; and Javy Cardona was 1 for 4 with 1 single and scored 1 run.
The Eagles victory over the Mission Sharyland Rattlers by the score of 10-9 will go down as one of the greatest Eagles Baseball wins in history and as one of the classic Texas High School baseball games.
The Eagle Pass Eagles are under the direction of Head Coach Reynol Mendoza and Assistant Coaches Henry Silva and Heriberto Roiz.
The Eagle Pass Business Journal congratulates the Eagle Pass Eagles on their Regional Quarter-Finals Championship and wishes them the best of luck in the Regional Semi-Finals Championship against the San Antonio Johnnson Jaguars this week. Go Eagles Go! Beat the Jaguars!
