Brackenridge breaks game open with 8-run rally
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Brackenridge did quite a bit of driving last Friday at SAISD Field No. 1 — in golf, not auto racing, terminology.
The Eagles (8-7, 4-1) drove 12 hits in a 10-3 victory over Lanier (5-10, 2-3). They won their second-consecutive game and remained in second place in District 28-4A with help from an eight-run second inning.
Brackenridge, who trailed first-place Brennan by a half-game, belted seven hits in the second inning alone.
“We want to hit the ball from gap to gap,” first-year Brackenridge coach Mike Garza said. “You have to stay back to do that. That’s how you get extra-base hits.”
A double from Eagles senior Mario Roldan ignited the second-inning rally. A walk to Matt de los Santos (2-for-3, RBI) and a fielder’s choice filled the bases. That’s when the fireworks began.
Johan Parra delivered a 2-run single followed by winning pitcher Robert Rangel’s run-scoring base hit.
In the midst of the rally, Lanier coach Carlos Sanchez disputed a call that opened the flood gates. The plate umpire called an Eagles runner safe.
“If you can’t make a call from 10 feet away,” Sanchez said, referring to the base umpire, “how is somebody going to make the call from 90 feet away? No excuses, but I think that was a turning point. That’s when they scored all their runs.
“Give them credit. They, obviously, put the ball in play.”
Brackenridge sophomore Bryan Guerrero was hit by a pitch ahead of consecutive two-run singles from freshman Johnathan Lucas (2-for-4, 3 RBIs) and senior catcher Tristen Cortinas (2-for-4, 2 RBIs).
“We just hung in there,” Cortinas said. “We really got our bats going. We were able to put up a lot of runs.”
A double to left field from de los Santos completed the scoring in the second with Brackenridge ahead 8-0.
“I just try to make contact on every pitch I like,” Cortinas said. “Everybody has been hitting. From No. 1 to No. 9 everybody is getting hits.”
Two of Lanier’s seven errors set up the Eagles next run, produced by Lucas’ RBI single. Aggressive baserunning helped the Voks erase some of the nine-run deficit.
In the fourth, Lanier pitcher Hector DeHoyos walked, stole second and scored on one of Brack’s four errors. The Voks mustered a run when Javier Lopez reached base with a single and scored on the back end of double steal.
Brackenridge prevented another big inning from the Voks in the sixth by throwing out runners at the plate and third base.
The game’s last two runs were scored on errors. Roldan crossed the plate for Brack and Brian Laque accounted for Lanier’s last run after drawing a walk in the seventh.
Rangel scattered six hits for the Eagles. Guerrero pitched the seventh.
“I tell the kids that pitching is the key,” Garza said, “but you have to play good defense to back up your pitcher. One of the big things we do is work on fundamentals and situations. If you do enough repetitions, it just clicks. You see a situation and react.”
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