Early inning struggles cost the Tigers two losses last week as Rockdale recorded a 1-2 record and 3-4 overall in last week’s High School Baseball Summer League games.
“Overall, I feel like we played well,” said RHS Coach Brandon San Miguel said. “Our pitching has been really good for the most part. We need to be a little bit more aggressive at the plate.”
As COVID-19 cases continue to rise in Milam County, San Miguel said the team is having each player bring their own water bottles, as opposed to having a cooler. Handshakes have been prohibited and umpires officiate from a distance as they are not permitted to stand directly behind the catcher.
“Right now, we are following UIL guidelines. We are keeping track of every ruling Gov. (Greg) Abbott is making,” San Miguel said. “We haven’t had anybody show any symptoms. I’ve told the guys to stay home if they are not feeling well.”
Tiger’s multi-position player Tra’on Crawford had a great week as he earned at least one hit and one run in all three games.
JULY 1—Last Wednesday, the Tigers lost a tough battle to the Rogers Eagles varsity 7-5.
“We had a rough first inning and needed to hit more,” said San Miguel. “By the time we got rolling, it was too late.”
Crawford scored off a double from Enrique Rivera to log the first run of the game for Rockdale. Rogers answered with four runs during the first inning, scoring on an error, a double and a single.
In the next inning, Cruz San Miguel and Bruce Mayfield scored off a single hit from Aaron Avila towards first base. Rogers had another run scoring three to make the score 7-3.
Rockdale’s comeback fell short. The Tigers scored two runs in the third inning. LaMonte Robinson scored after a hit by Rivera and Crawford scored on a triple from Drayton Castenada to make the score 7-5.
Both teams played great defense in the fourth as neither brought in any runs. The Tigers totaled eight hits in the game. Crawford and Mayfield led the Tigers with two hits. Rogers tallied nine total hits. The Eagles also displayed their sure handedness by not committing a single error.
JULY 2—RHS played a double header against the Harker Heights Knights JV team on Thursday. The Tigers won the first game 4-1 and lost the second 5-2.
Mason Willard, who was on the pitcher’s mound for the Tigers, surrendered zero runs on two hits over three innings, striking out seven and walking zero.
“I was very impressed with the pitching,” Coach San Miguel said. “Mason was lights out during the game. Pablo Hernandez and Tyler Stewart finished the game out for us and did a great job.”
Rockdale opened game one by scoring in the first inning with Willard drawing a walk. Jesus Bocanegra scored the second run of the inning after Robinson was hit by a pitch. In the bottom of the third inning, Bocanegra and Crawford scored to give Rockdale a 4-0 lead. Harker Heights scored one run in the fourth inning.
Noah Pastrano, Bocanegra and Crawford all had one hit to lead the Tigers.
In the second game, Harker Heights captured and early lead and defeated the Tigers 5-2. Rockdale scored first with Crawford scoring on a Cruz San Miguel fly to center field. In the bottom of the first inning, Harker Heights scored a commanding four runs. The Tigers scored another run in the bottom of the 4th inning by San Miguel but weren’t able to get things going.
“We just couldn’t get anything going during the game,” Coach San Miguel said. “Our pitching and batting weren’t great.”
Cruz San Miguel was on the hill for the Tigers. He surrendered three runs on zero hits, walking zero. Crawford and Bocanegra entered the game as relief, throwing two and twothirds innings and one inning respectively.
Pastrano, Cruz San Miguel, and Crawford each collected one hit to lead Rockdale. Crawford led the way with two stolen bases.
SATURDAY—Rockdale expanded its lineup with seven players from Thorndale. The team was split into a varsity squad called Rockdale Blue and a junior varsity squad called Rockdale Gold.
Rockdale Blue will play a doubleheader against the Belton Tigers varsity on Cameron Field on Saturday at 9 a.m. and 11 a.m.
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