JV Warhorses undefeated in Lytle tournament

In the Lytle Baseball Tournament, the JV Warhorses went 3-0 against, Holy Cross, Crystal City, and Lytle, only allowing 2 runs total in the three games. Opening against Holy Cross on Friday, March 8th, the JV team was ready to play aggressively from the first inning. After Brady Hackebeil and Xsavior Martinez walked, Mason Burford came up to bat and Hackebeil stole home and Martinez stole second, Burford ground out and Martinez scored. With Sage Cruz batting, Christian Gerlach stole home. With Robert Ramirez on third, Kannon Ramirez singled and R. Ramirez scored. Hackebeil hit a hard double to short and Crus and K. Ramirez scored. The first inning ended 6-0. Top of the third would see runs from K. Ramirez and Joey Blanquiz and the fourth inning had runs from R. Ramirez, Cruz (stole home)Hayden Brummage (stole home), and Carlos Gutierrez (stole home). The game ended 12-0 after the bottom of the fourth. Holy Cross only hit the ball twice.
Hackebeil 1 run, 2 hits, 2 RBIs. Martinez 1 run, 1 hit, 1 RBI. Burford 1 hit, 1 RBI. Gerlach 1 run. C. Gutierrez 1 run, 1 hit, 1 RBI. R. Ramirez 2 runs. Blanquiz 1 run. Cruz 2 runs. K. Ramirez 2 runs, 1 hit, 1 RBI. Brummage 1 run. Pitcher R. Ramirez 37 strikes in 57 pitches.
Crystal City was only able to hit the ball three times in four innings and lost 10-0 in Devine’s first game Saturday morning. Devine earned their first run early, Hackebeil was first up to bat and walked brining Martinez up to the plate. Martinez hit a double to left and Hackebeil was able to score. Gerlach single to short and Martinez ran home. Evan Priest walked and Burford ground out to the pitcher but allowed Gerlach to score. The inning ended 3-0. Top of the second with bases loaded, Martinez ground out but K. Ramirez scored. Contreras singled and Blanquiz crossed home. Gerlach was hit by a pitch to loaded the bases again. Priest walked and Hackebeil was forced home. Burford walked, Contreras scored. Mando Gutierrez walked and Priest scored. K. Ramirez singled advancing the loaded bases and Priest scored. Burford stole home while Blanquiz was up to bat for Devine’s final run.
Hackebeil 2 runs, 1 hit. Martinez 1 run, 2 RBIs. Contreras 1 run, 1 hit. 1 RBI. Gerlach 2 runs, 1 hit, 1 RBI. Priest 1 run, 1 RBI. Burford 1 run, 2 RBIs. K. Ramirez 1 run, 1 hit, 1 RBI. Blanquiz 1 run, 1 hit. Pitchers Pedro Maines 26 strikes in 41 pitches, C. Gutierrez 6 strikes in 6 pitches. M. Gutierrez 7 strikes in 7 pitches.
Lytle put up a fight in Devine’s final game of the tournament. The Pirates took the lead in the bottom of the first and held it until the top of the fourth when Devine tied the game at 2-2. The JV Warhorses took the lead and win tin the top of the fifth when they scored two runs and ended the game 4-2.
Top of the first, Hackebeil was first up to bat and hit a fly ball to right for a single. He then stole his way home while Martinez was at bat. Top of the fourth, Contreras hit a home run after two strikes and a foul ball to tie the game at 2-2. Top of the fifth, with 2 outs and runners on second and third, Gerlach singled to left and Hackebeil scored and Martinez advanced to third only to steal home while Burford was at bat. Burford would hit a fly ball right to the center fielder.
Hackebeil 2 runs, 2 hits. Martinez 1 run, 1 hit. Contreras 1 run, 1 hit, 1 RBI. Gerlach 1 hit, 1 RBI. Priest 1 hit. K. Ramirez 1 hit. C. Gutierrez 1 hit. Pitchers Priest threw 51 strikes in 78 pitches and Blanquiz threw 7 strikes in 17 pitches.
The JV Warhorses will compete in the District JV Baseball Tournament March 14th and then start district March 19th at home against Carrizo Springs.
By Dicy Chambers
Sports Writer