RHS BASEBALL
The weather has not been user-friendly towards Rockdale Tiger baseball this spring but after canceling Thursday’s game because of travel concerns, you could hear Willie Nelson singing, “Blue skies smiling at me, nothing but blue skies do I see.”
Both Friday and Saturday were nothing but blue skies and sunshine and it turned out to be great weather for the Blue & Gold.
This Tiger team is making history. It is the first time since 2009 that Big Blue has been both bi-district and area champions and now, after the recent series win over West, they are going for the first time four d eep i n a p layoff r un. Congratulations Tigers!
And congratulations to former Tiger and head baseball coach Austin Caffey and former Tigers and assistant coaches Ethan Brinkley and Pearce Loth. This team has great chemistry and it’s obvious they like playing for these guys.
GAME ONE— Because of weather the Tiger s were forced to play a double- header on Friday and they lost game one 5-6.
The game went extra innings and it felt like it would never end and then in the 10th inning West hit a walk-off single that scored the winning run for the Trojans.
Rockdale got off to a hot start in the game with Layton Mogford doubling and Mason Willard getting a single and both players scoring in the top of the first.
Later in the third inning, Blaydn Barcak connected for a single that scored a run, then Brody Willard tagged up and the Tigers were ahead 4-2.
The Tiger lead ended, however, in the bottom of the sixth when West tied the game at four.
In the top of the 10th inning, the Tigers took the lead again when Cruz San Migel hit a sacrifice fly that scored a run making the game 5-4.
The Trojans then got a man on with a walk, then the w alk-off single a nd t he final score was 6-5 West.
Mario Casarez was the starting pitcher, he allowed six hits, three runs, had one strike out and walked four in three innings. Mason Lillard got the loss for the Tigers, he went six innings, allowed three runs, two that were earned on seven hits, had three strikeouts and walked five.
SECOND GAME— Game two of this double- header ended with a Rockdale victory, 2-0.
This game was pretty low-key compared to game one. Mason Willard was on the mound for this shut out game and he went seven innings, striking out seven, walking three, while giving up only three hits and no runs for the win. Mario Casarez put one over the fence, Stephen Goodrich had an RBI and Blaydn Barcak went two for three at the plate.
TIE-BREAKER— Game three that was played on Saturday had a lot more drama including extra innings but ended in a Tiger victory, 8-7.
The ballgame was tied 7-7 in the bottom of the eighth inning when team leader Mason Willard decided it was time to load up and go home. He laced a single that scored a run— game over.
“Tiger Fight Never Dies” continues to be a thing. The Tigers were down 6-1 in the second inning when the bats caught fire and they scored five runs off of two hits. Mario Casarez got on with a walk that scored a run, fearless Brody Willard also got a walk that scored a run and then Blaydn Barcak hit an amazing triple, scoring three runs. Wow!
The Trojans then took advantage of some less than stellar defense by the Tigers in the fifth and got the lead 7-6, but Rockdale’s offense came back in the bottom of the sixth to tie the game that eventually led to the walk-off single.
Austin Caldwell was the starting pitcher for the Tigers. Caldwell allowed seven hits, gave up six runs, three that were earned in two innings.
Layton Mogford got the win for the Tigers. He gave up two hits and one run in six innings, striking out three and walking one.
COMING UP— The Tigers will now face the Orangefield Bobcats in the regional semifinals. This is another best-of-three series that will be played at Cypress Woods High School.
Game one is scheduled for 7 p.m. Wednesday, with game two at 4 p.m. Thursday, and game three, if needed, will be played immediately after game two.
Orangefield finished first in their district with a 13-1 record and a 27-8 overall record.
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