Eagle Pass Eagles Fall to Austin Westlake Chaps in Regional Baseball Semifinals Championship, Enjoying an Outstanding Season
By: Ricardo E. Calderon, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc., Copyright 2023
The Eagle Pass High School Eagles Baseball Team fell to the Austin Westlake High School Chaparrals in the 2023 University Interscholastic League Region IV-6A Regional Baseball Semifinals Championship Game 2 of their best of three series on Friday, May 26, 2023 by the score of 4-0, becoming eliminated from the state playoffs after enjoying an outstanding season.
After falling in Game 1 to the Austin Westlake Chaps by a score of 7-2 on May 25, 2023 in Eagle Pass, Texas, the Eagles traveled to Austin, Texas to seek a sweep of the Chaps in order to keep their playoff hopes alive and advance to the Regional Finals the following week.
The Eagles sophomore right-handed pitcher Hector Buentello got the nod to start Game 2 against the Chaps in Austin, Texas. Buentello stifled the potent Chaps batters for four innings with his curve ball, change up, and fast ball pitches to keep them from scoring.
In the fifth inning with one out, the Chaps got on base on a double to left field, the next batter received an intentional walk, followed by a strike out for the second out of the inning, the next batter got on base on a hit by pitch to load the bases, with the following batter belting a two RBIs single to take a 2-0 lead, followed by another 2 RBI single to extend the lead 4-0 before the third out was made. The Chaps held on for the win by the final score of 4-0 as the Eagles were unable to capitalize with base runners in the second, third, fifth, sixth, and seventh innings.
Eagle senior pitcher Alex Paniagua came in relief of Buentello in the sixth inning to complete the game. Buentello tossed a courageous five innings in taking the loss.
With the loss in Game 2, the Eagles were swept by the Chaps in two consecutive games of their best of three series.
The Eagles enjoyed an outstanding 2023 season with an overall record of 27-12 and a 9-1 District 30-6A mark, including a District Championship, Bi-District Championship, Area Championship, Regional Quarterfinals Championship, and Regional Semifinalist.
GAME 1 SUMMARY
The Eagles hosted the Austin Westlake Chaps in Game 1 of their Regional Semifinals Championship best of three series on May 25, 2023 in Eagle Pass, Texas at the Eagle Pass Independent School District Leopoldo Moncada Baseball Stadium, falling by a score of 7-2.
The Eagles committed three defensive errors in the top of the first inning, allowing the Chaps to tally three runs and take an early 3-0 lead, which they never relinquished.
The Eagles scored one run in the bottom of the first inning to narrow the score 3-1. The Eagles stranded several base runners in the game unable to get the clutch hit at the most opportune moment.
The Chaps placed four runs in the top of the sixth inning on a pair of Eagle errors, a base on balls, and two hit by pitch batters to extend their lead 7-1.
The Eagles tallied one run in the bottom of the seventh inning to close out the scoring in the game at 7-2 in favor of the Chaps. The Chaps took a 1-0 series lead in the best of three series.
Eagle senior right-handed pitcher Donovan Becerra hurled five stellar innings, stifling the potent Chaps batters in the game with his fast ball and curve ball pitches, but defensive errors allowed the Chaps to score most of the runs and steal the win from the Eagles. Two Eagle relief pitchers tossed the two final innings of the game.
The Eagles dropped Game 1 due to uncharacteristic defensive errors and the lack of clutch hits at the right time in the game, stranding runners on base.
