Senior Warhorse pitcher Dillon Ricord silenced the home crowd in Crystal City last Thursday, April 13, hurling a no-hitter against the Javelinas in a dominant 11-0 win.
Devine only had nine hits of their own, but also drew 10 walks and scored in five of the six innings played while cruising to the easy victory.
Things started off well for the Warhorses, who scored three times in the top of the 1st inning to take the lead they never relinquished. Newt Crouch drew a one-out walk, Jack Zimmerle singled, and Crouch scored on Richie Long’s single to right field. Zimmerle scored on Matt Ornelas’s groundout, and Long stole home for the final run of the inning.
In the top of the 2nd inning, Dalton Kramer drew a one-out walk, stole second, and scored on Kyler Brown’s line drive double to center field. Ricord singled, Crouch walked to load the bases, and Brown scored on a passed ball. Zimmerle also walked to load the bases again, but a strikeout and a pop-out ended the Warhorse threat.
It didn’t take long for Devine to score again. Kramer drew a one-out walk, Brown singled, and Ricord walked to load the bases. Kramer scored on a passed ball for a 6-0 lead.
Zimmerle led off the top of the 4th inning with a hard ground ball single to left field. Long reached on an error, Ornelas walked, and Connor Schmidt hit a sacrifice fly to right field to drive in Zimmerle.
After being held scoreless in the top of the 5th inning, the Warhorses plated four runs in the top of the 6th inning to put the game away. Zimmerle singled to start the inning, stole second, and advanced to third on an error. Ornelas and Isaac Solis drew back-to-back walks to load the bases with one out, and Zimmerle scored on a passed ball. Kramer put a hard ground ball into play and was rewarded for his contact and hustle by reaching base on an error that also allowed Ornelas to score. Kramer then stole second to get into scoring position, and Brown singled to center to knock in both Solis and Kramer.
Ricord gave up his only free pass of the game in the bottom of the 6th inning, but otherwise quickly finished off the Javelinas to complete the 11-0 victory.
Devine left eight runners on base and committed three errors, while Crystal City left three on base and made four errors.
Ricord pitched all six innings, striking out seven.
Batting: Ricord 1-4, 1 BB, 1 SB; Crouch 0-2, 2 BB; Zimmerle 3-3, 1 BB, 1 SB; Long 1-4, 1 RBI, 2 SB; Ornelas 0-2, 1 RBI, 2 BB, 1 SB; Solis 0-2, 2 BB; Schmidt 0-3, 1 RBI; Kramer 0-2, 2 BB, 4 SB; Brown 4-4, 3 RBI, 3 SB.
“Since the Pearsall game from the first round, we haven’t been playing at the level we need to be playing at if we are going to make a run in the playoffs,” Head Coach George Villa said. “We are winning, but not doing some of the little things needed to make a run. We are doing some good things though. Our pitching for the most part has been doing a great job. Defensively, we need to do some cleaning up in some high traffic areas and our hitting needs to be more consistent.”
Upcoming games
The Varsity Warhorses hosted Pearsall on April 18, and will head to Boerne on April 21 before coming home for a game against Lytle on April 25. All games are scheduled for 7:00 pm.
By Marly Davis
Staff Writer