Defending champ Bears score 7 in seventh for win

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For five innings, neither of the top two teams in District 28-4A could find a way to get a run. Then chaos ensued.

A Brennan rally was topped by a Brackenridge rally, setting the stage for seventh-inning fireworks March 4 at Mary Ann Villarreal Field No. 1. The defending champion Bears (11-3, 2-0) exploded for seven runs in the final inning to record a 12-5 victory over Brackenridge (8-5-1, 0-1).

“Whenever it gets down to crunch time, we pull it out,” Brennan coach Ruby de la Garza said. “We need to jump on it quick and stay on it, as opposed to having to scratch and fight to win.”

Brennan had taken a 4-0 lead in the top of the sixth after Jolynn Ortiz and Gabby Acuna drew leadoff walks from Brackenridge ace Alexis Berlanga. Laikyn Modra followed with an RBI single on a misplayed drive to the outfield and Miranda Mueller drilled a two-run triple. An overthrow on the relay throw sent Mueller home for a 4-0 lead.

Neither team had gotten a runner past second base through five innings. Suddenly, the outcome appeared to be decided.

“I didn’t know if we could dig ourselves out,” Brackenridge coach Robyn Murken said. “But we did it, only to dig a deeper hole.”

Brackenridge took the lead with a rally that began in the bottom of the sixth inning when Miranda Sandoval drew a leadoff walk. Next up was Allie Castillo, who slapped a single through the left side of the infield. A bunt single from Jacklynn Nevarez loaded the bases for Lexus Lozano, who lifted a sacrifice fly that cut the Eagles deficit to 4-1.

Eagles catcher Jackie Rodriguez dropped a single into center field that brought home a second run. A triple to right-center field from Celeste Canales tied it 4-4.

“She hit it to the right spot,” Murken said of the two-RBI hit. “It was a low pitch, but she stayed on it and rapped it to right field. She went for it.”

Brackenridge took the lead when Alyssa Berlanga was safe on an error.

Brennan didn’t waste any time getting retaliation. They scored seven runs without making an out.

Lexi Yorkman was safe on a bunt to the pitcher’s circle, leading off the bottom of the seventh. Jacqui Aguirre also bunted and was safe on an overthrow at first base.

“If we would have executed and got those two outs on bunts, I really believe we would have ended it right there,” Murken said. “We let up and got caught off-guard.”

Winning pitcher Iliana Martinez loaded the bases by drawing a walk. Then Ortiz drove a grand-slam home run over the wall in straightaway left field. The blast instantly gave the Bears an 8-5 lead.

“Before the inning, I told the girls, ‘Don’t swing for the fence,’ ” de la Garza said. “But I talked to Jolynn and told her, ‘Just hit a fly ball.’ A sacrifice fly would have tied it up and put us back in the game, and we still would have had one out.”

Acuna and Modra followed with back-to-back doubles.

“She has a great team,” de la Garza said of Murken. “She always does. When we play Robin’s team, it’s always going to be a fight. You have to be prepared and everybody has to come together.”

Berlanga (8-6) didn’t give up a hit until Acuna led off the fourth with a single. Brandy Brown collected Brennan’s only other hit in the first five innings against the junior, who is in her second season as the Eagles’ ace.

“She’s throwing a lot better this year,” Murken said. “She just goes right at (batters). She doesn’t let things get her down.”

Before Brackenridge’s big inning, the Eagles only hit came from Lozano in the fourth, after Nevarez was safe on an error. Brennan escaped the one-out threat when Modra grabbed a line drive at shortstop and threw to second for a double play.