The Varsity Warhorses took their cue from their softball-playing counterparts, rallying for a dramatic walk-off win in the bottom of the 7th inning for a 5-4 victory over La Vernia on Thursday, March 16, just two days after the Arabians’ similar feat against Lytle.
The game was scoreless until the bottom of the 3rd inning, when Devine plated two runs.
Dalton Kramer led off the inning with a double to right field to immediately get into scoring position. Jerrod Taylor followed with a ground ball single to second to drive in Kramer. Taylor was replaced on the bases by pinch runner Kyler Brown, who stole second before advancing to third on Jack Zimmerle’s two-out line drive single to right. Brown scored on an error by La Vernia’s catcher, and Richie Long drove in Zimmerle on a liner to right for a 2-0 lead.
The Bears surged ahead in the top of the 4th inning, using three singles and capitalizing on two Warhorse errors to go up 3-2.
Devine regained the lead in the bottom of the 5th inning. Newt Crouch reached base on an error by La Vernia’s second baseman, and Zimmerle and Long drew consecutive walks to load the bases with no outs. Corben Boggs hit a sacrifice fly to center to drive in Crouch, and Zimmerle later scored on a wild pitch to put Devine ahead.
La Vernia tied things up in the top of the 7th inning. The Bears’ leadoff man singled to center, took second on a sacrifice bunt, and scored on another single to center to even the game at 4-4.
Boggs stepped up to bat with one out in the bottom of the 7th inning, and after taking a pitch, belted a home run over the left field fence to give Devine the 5-4 walk-off win.
Connor Schmidt took the mound in relief and got the victory for the Warhorses.
The game was as close as the score indicates. Devine had nine hits to La Vernia’s eight, and both teams left eight runners on base. The Warhorses committed three errors, while La Vernia had four.
Batting: Dillon Ricord 0-4; Crouch 1-4; Zimmerle 1-3, 1 BB; Long 1-3, 1 BB; Boggs 1-3, 2 RBI; Isaac Solis 0-3; Schmidt 1-3; Kramer 1-3; Taylor 1-1, 1 RBI; Brown 2-2, 1 SB.
Pitching: Boggs 4.0 IP, 5 hits, 8 strikeouts; Solis 1.0 IP, 1 walk; Schmidt 2.0 IP, 1 ER, 3 hits, 1 strikeout.
Upcoming games
The Warhorses will have battled the Wildcats in Carrizo Springs on Tuesday, March 21, and host Crystal City on Friday, March 24 before traveling to Pearsall on Friday, March 31. All games are set to begin at 7:00 pm.
By Marly Davis
Staff Writer