BASEBALL: Chaps sweep DH to win weekend series against Howard
There was never a doubt in Garrett Williams’ mind that his Midland College baseball team would bounce back after losing the series opener to Howard College.
By Oscar LeRoy
Midland Reporter-Telegram
MIDLAND, TEXAS - There was never a doubt in Garrett Williams' mind that his Midland College baseball team would bounce back after losing the series opener to Howard College.
The Chaparrals ended up winning the last three games of the series, including 9-1 and 15-7 victories on Saturday at Christensen Stadium to take their second Western Junior College Athletic Conference series of the season.
"We had it in us the whole time," said Williams, the second-year second baseman. "We've got a veteran group. When we lost that first one, we knew we could come back to at least even up the series, if not win it, which we did."
MC coach Hector Rodriguez said the way his team bounced back after losing 9-7 in the series-opening game was huge.
"I told the guys that it was a fantastic weekend, especially after losing the first game," he said. "Luke Young has thrown the ball so well for us all year and we've really have done a good job in game one. This week we didn't. Luke didn't have his best stuff and (Howard) did a good job offensively of applying pressure on us. What Alizaeh Gutierrez did (in Friday's game 2) was as good as it gets. It was a quality start and he picked up the ballclub and then we just kind of did it again (on Saturday)."
On Saturday, the Chaparrals (19-9, 6-2 in WJCAC) not only had a combined 28 hits but had two solid starting pitching performances from Luis Rodriguez and Jarek Wells.
"With Luis you can always expect a quality start out of him," Williams said. "Then Jarek has bounced back the last two weeks. I love playing defense behind him. He's got good rhythm. We got those good starts and got us some wins."
Luis Rodriguez got the start in Saturday's first game, and after giving up a solo home run to Keenan Spence, which tied the game at 1-all in the second inning, he settled down and retired the next eight and 14 of the next 15 batters he faced. The right-hander from Denver City scattered five hits, did not walk a batter and struck out 12 in a complete-game victory.
"Luis Rodriguez was really good," Hector Rodriguez said. "He struck them out 12 times, and the key: no walks. He was in complete control from the start. He threw first pitch for strikes, he threw secondary pitches for strikes when he wanted. When you can do that, you can control a lot of things."
The MC offense gave him all the run support Rodriguez needed with a four-run fourth for a 5-1 advantage.
The Chaps would add to their lead with a two-run homer from Michael Weidner (2-for-4) in the fifth and two-run blast by Gibrian Pena in the seventh.
Williams was 3-for-3 at the plate with a double and an RBI; and Caleb Heuertz was 3-for-4 with an RBI for the Chaps.
Wells had a solid start of his own in the second game as he went six innings and left with a 7-4 lead. He also did not walk a batter and struck out seven.
"I thought Jarek had a quality start," Hector Rodriguez said. "The pitch count got up and he got a little fatigued but he was good in that fifth and sixth inning. We had a bullpen ready behind him."
The Hawks (7-15, 3-5) eventually tied the game at 7-all with two runs in the seventh and a run in the eighth.
However, the Chaps answered in a big way as they got to Howard's bullpen in the bottom of the eighth and sent 11 batters to the plate, connected for seven hits, drew three walks and invoked the run rule. Tyler Wulfert's two-run double to left-center gave the Chaps the lead for good at 9-7.
"There was no doubt that we were going to come back that next inning," said Williams, who was one of three Chaps with three hits in the game. "You would like to put those games away, but you trust your offense in that situation. It was nice to put up eight runs and run rule them."
Wulfert also had three hits with two RBI and two runs scored; Frayner Chavez had three hits with a home run and three runs scored; Pena had two doubles, two RBI and two runs scored; Luke Bumpus had two hits and four RBI; Heuertz had two hits, two RBI and two doubles; and Ryan Blackwell added two hits.
Heuertz picked up the win in relief.
After the Chaps play an early non-conference game against UT-Permian Basin, they return to WJCAC play next weekend with a four-game home series against New Mexico Military Institute as MC looks to win its third league series.
"It sets up perfectly," said Williams of winning the first two WJCAC series. "Howard and New Mexico Junior College are two really good teams, so it's nice to win the series against those guys. Now we hope they can beat some guys for us."
Follow Oscar on Twitter: @OLeRoy_MRT
First Game
MIDLAND COLLEGE 9, HOWARD COLLEGE 1
Howard 010 000 0 -- 1 5 1
Midland 100 422 x -- 9 11 0
Cole Bramhall, Caleb Cassie (5) and Trent Warstler. Luis Rodriguez and Hudson Parker. W – Rodriguez. L – Bramhall. 2B – MC: Garrett Williams. HR – HC: Kennan Spence; MC: Michael Weidner, Gibrian Pena.
Second game
MIDLAND COLLEGE 15, HOWARD COLLEGE 7, 8 innings
Howard 000 013 21 -- 7 12 4
Midland 021 040 08 -- 15 17 1
Braelin Pilot, Karson Shepherd (3), Jack Quinn (6), Drew Durst (8), Camden Byrd (8) and Weston Peninger. Jarek Wells, Aaron Molina (7), Caleb Heuertz (8), Chase Oberle (8) and Ryan Blackwell. W – Heuertz. L – Durst. 2B – HC: Austin Douglas, Aaron Manias; MC: Pena 2, Tyler Wulfert. HR – MC: Frayner Chavez.
FRIDAY:
Chaps split DH with Howard College
Staff Report
Midland Reporter-Telegram
BIG SPRING, TEXAS - The Midland College baseball team split its series-opening doubleheader against Howard College at Big Spring Refinery Ballpark on Friday.
Howard won the first game 9-7, before the Chaparrals bounced back with a 9-6 victory in the second game.
In the second game, MC scored four runs in the top of the eighth inning to take a 9-4 lead and secure the victory.
Tyler Wulfert hit two home runs for the Chaps (17-9, 4-2 in Western Junior College Athletic Conference) and drove in three runs. Ryan Blackwell added a double and drove in three runs, while Chris Garcia had a double.
Alejandro Rosado led the Hawks (7-13, 3-3) by going 3-for-4 with a double, home run and three RBI. Hunter Simmons was 2-for-3 with a home run, walk, two RBI and two runs scored.
Alizaeh Gutierrez got the win after he allowed four runs on six hits with two walks and 12 strikeouts over seven innings of work. Evan Herbert picked up the save.
Hunter Davis took the loss for Howard.
The Chaps lost their third straight game in the series opener as the Hawks out-hit MC 14-6 and jumped out to a 4-0 lead after two innings.
Hunter Simmons had three hits and drove in two runs for Hawks, while Drew Durst was 2-for-2 with a home run and two RBI.
Luke Bumpus was 2-for-3 with a walk and two runs scored for the Chaps; Garcia homered and drove in two runs; and Gibrian Pena hit a solo home run.
Luke Young took the loss after giving up eight runs (six earned) on 12 hits and three walks, and he also struck out five over five innings.
Ethan Hackler picked up the win in relief for Howard.
The teams will play another doubleheader at noon Saturday when the series switches to Christensen Stadium.