The JV Warhorses are on a two-game winning streak after knocking off both Central Catholic and Harlandale.
Central Catholic
A big 3rd inning fueled the JV Warhorses to a 10-8 win over the Central Catholic JV Buttons on Monday, March 6.
After Central Catholic took a 3-0 lead in the top of the 3rd inning, thanks in part to a two-run home run, the JV Warhorses responded by putting up a crooked number of their own. Chad Lawson walked to start the inning, then stole second before advancing to third on an error and scoring on Brady Cardenas’s single to center field. Truett Barron followed with a single, and Brady Harrell walked to load the bases with no outs. Cardenas scored on Tristin Kramer’s grounder to second, and Kramer reached base safely to keep the bases loaded.
Barron was thrown out at home on Joey Seguin’s comebacker to the pitcher for the first out of the inning, though the bases remained loaded. Harrell scored on a wild pitch that also allowed Kramer and Seguin to move up a base, and Gehrig Runyan was hit by a pitch to load the bases again. Kramer and Guajardo both scored on a wild pitch, and Tristin Cruz drove in Runyan with a single to right field. Seguin then knocked in Cruz with a single to right to put Devine up 7-3.
The JV Warhorses scored their final three runs of the game in the bottom of the 4th inning. Harrell drew a walk and was on second base when Joseph Guajardo hit a one-out single to right to drive him in. Runyan was once again hit by a pitch, and Cruz singled to left to knock in Guajardo. Seguin followed with a ground ball that drew an error and allowed Runyan to score for a 10-3 lead.
Central Catholic staged a rally in the top of the 5th inning, capitalizing on two hit batters, three consecutive walks, and an error to score five runs, but the JV Warhorses had enough left in the tank to hold on for the 10-8 victory.
Batting: Seguin 2-1, 1 RBI; Lawson 1-2, 2 BB, 1 SB; Cardenas 2-3, 1 RBI; Barron 1-3; Harrell 0-1, 2 BB; Kramer 0-3, 1 RBI; Guajardo 1-3, 1 RBI; Runyan 1-1; Cruz 3-3, 2 RBI
Pitching: Lawson 3.0 IP, 3 ER, 4 hits, 1 walk; Seguin 1.0 IP, 3 ER, 1 hit, 1 strikeout; Barron 0.0 IP, 2 walks; Kramer 1.0 IP, 1 walk, 2 strikeouts.
Harlandale
The JV Warhorses staged a comeback against the Harlandale JV Indians last Friday, March 3, rebounding from an early two-run deficit to win 7-3.
Harlandale struck first, using three straight walks and a single to score twice in the bottom of the 1st inning.
After a scoreless 2nd inning, Devine struck back in the top of the 3rd. Harrell led off the inning with a single to left, then advanced to second on an error by the Harlandale catcher before taking third base on a passed ball. Runyan hit a fly ball to left field that was misplaced and reached first on the error that also allowed Harrell to score.
Isaac Oropeza singled to center, and Cardenas followed with a ground ball to first that drew another error. Both Runyan and Oropeza scored to put Devine up 3-2.
The JV Indians scored their final run of the game in the bottom of the inning, using a passed ball sandwiched between two singles to tie things up 3-3.
A big two-out rally in the top of the 4th inning put the JV Warhorses ahead for good. Harrell and Runyan drew back-to-back walks to set things up for Oropeza, who singled on a hard ground ball to shortstop to drive in pinch runner Leonard Pompa to take the lead. Seguin’s double to right drove in both Runyan and Oropeza, and Seguin himself scored on Cardenas’s single to shortstop for a 7-3 lead.
Devine held Harlandale scoreless the rest of the way for the win.
“I felt that we played tough defensively and put the ball in play offensive,” Coach Bart Oropeza said.
Batting: Oropeza 2-3, 1 RBI, 1 SB; Seguin 1-3 2 RBI, 1 SB; Cardenas 1-3, 3 RBI, 1 SB; Lawson 0-2, 1 BB, 1 SB; Cruz 0-3; Barron 1-3; Kramer 0-3; Harrell 1-1, 1 BB; Runyan 0-1, 1 BB, 1 RBI
Pitching: Seguin 0.0 IP, 2 ER, 2 hits, 3 walks; Harrell 5.0 IP, 1 ER, 3 hits, 5 walks, 3 strikeouts.
Upcoming games
The JV Warhorses will travel to La Vernia on Thursday, March 16 for a 2:00 pm contest.
By Marly Davis
Staff Writer