Devine hosted their annual Cross the Creek Classic baseball tournament in conjunction with Hondo last Thursday, March 2 through Saturday, March 4. The Warhorses beat Jourdanton, Brackenridge, and Zapata before the tournament was rained out on Saturday.
Jourdanton
Devine kicked the tournament off bright and early on March 2 with an 8:30 am game against Jourdanton.
Both teams went scoreless until Jourdanton used four walks and a hit batter to score what looked like the winning runs in the top of the 6th inning.
Instead of being disheartened by their self-inflicted two-run deficit, the Warhorses came out galvanized. Dillon Ricord led off the inning with a single to right field, and Newt Crouch, Jack Zimmerle, Richie Long, Corben Boggs, and Isaac Solis all drew walks to go up 3-2. Matt Ornelas reached on an error that allowed Long and Boggs to score, and Kyler Brown drew a walk before the game was called with Devine up 5-2.
Batting: Ricord 1-3, 2 SB; Crouch 1-2, 1 BB, 1 SB; Zimmerle 0-2, 1 BB; Long 1-2, 1 BB, 1 RBI; Boggs 0-2, 1 BB, 1 RBI; Solis 0-1, 1 BB; Connor Schmidt 0-1, 1 BB; Ornelas 0-1, 2 RBI, 1 SB; Dalton Kramer 0-3; Brown 0-2, 1 BB.
Pitching: Schmidt 5.0 IP, 3 hits, 1 walk, 5 strikeouts; Ornelas 0.1 IP, 2 ER, 2 walks; Kramer 0.2 IP, 2 walks, 2 strikeouts.
Brackenridge
The Warhorses were quickly back in action with a 10:45 am game against Brackenridge.
The Eagles struck first, using a walk and back-to-back singles to take a 1-0 lead in the top of the 2nd inning.
Devine batted around in the bottom of the 6th inning, scoring six runs and taking a lead they never relinquished. Brown led off the inning with a walk, Ricord and Crouch tallied consecutive singles, Zimmerle and Long walked, and Boggs and Solis each singled to take a 6-1 lead.
Brackenridge got one back in the top of the 6th inning thanks to a hit batter and a single, but the Warhorses answered back with consecutive singles from Solis and Schmidt in the bottom of the inning to make the score 7-2.
The Eagles scored twice more in the top of the 6th inning before the Warhorses closed them out.
Batting: Ricord 1-3, 1 SB; Crouch 2-3, 1 RBI, 1 SB; Zimmerle 0-1, 2 BB; Long 0-2, 1 BB, 1 RBI; Boggs 1-2, 1 BB, 1 RBI; Solis 2-2, 1 BB, 1 RBI; Schmidt 1-2, 2 RBI; Kramer 0-3; Brown 0-1, 1 BB.
Pitching: Ricord 5.0 IP, 2 ER, 6 hits, 1 walk, 6 strikeouts; Crouch 1.0 IP, 1 ER, 1 hit, 1 walk, 1 strikeout.
Zapata
The Warhorses had just one game on Friday, March 3, and held off a late rally from Zapata to win 4-3.
All of Devine’s runs came in the bottom of the 1st inning. Leadoff hitter Ricord singled, Crouch walked, and back-to-back singles by Zimmerle and Long drove both in for a 2-0 lead. Solis later hit a one-out double to knock in Zimmerle and Long to put Devine up 4-0.
The Warhorses ended up all four of those runs, as Zapata staged a rally in the top of the 4th inning. Trailing 4-1, Zapata led off with a single and drew consecutive one-out walks to load the bases. The first run of the inning came on a fielder’s choice to shortstop, and a balk forced in a run to make the score 4-3 before the game ended on a strikeout.
Batting: Ricord 2-2, 2 SB; Crouch 1-1, 1 BB, 2 SB; Zimmerle 1-2, 1 RBI; Long 1-2, 1 RBI, 1 SB; Boggs 0-2; Solis 1-2, 2 RBI; Schmidt 1-1, 1 BB, 1 SB; Kramer 0-1, 1 BB; Brown 0-2.
Pitching: Solis 4.0 IP, 3 ER, 4 hits, 4 walks, 5 strikeouts.
Upcoming games
The Warhorses will be in action in the Somerset Tournament this coming weekend. On Thursday, March 9, Devine will face Medina Valley at 12:30 pm and Canyon Lake at 3:00 pm. Friday, March 10 sees a 10:00 am game against Somerset, and Saturday, March 11 is a 12:30 pm matchup against Jourdanton.
Devine then travels to La Vernia on Thursday, March 16 for a 4:30 pm game.
By Marly Davis
Staff Writer