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But from 125 feet away, Morales couldn't hit 6-foot-8 first baseman
Andy Ellis.
Morales' success throwing from the mound, and his problems doing the
same from third base were a major reason why the Eagles dropped the
first game of their Friday doubleheader to the Lamesa Golden Tornadoes,
9-3, then came back and won the nightcap, 12-2 in five innings.
The righthander no-hit Pecos for 5 2/3 innings, before losing both that
and his shutout to Eric Abila's second home run of the season in the
sixth.
Jason Garcia came on to pitch the seventh, and gave up Jason Abila's
third homer of the year, then started the second game, getting himself
out of a first inning jam before errors -- including three by Morales in
the third inning -- allowed the Eagles to break things open.
"Their first pitcher kept us off balance, and then we got frustrated,"
said Eagles' coach Bubba Williams. Lamesa used a double, walk and
two-run single to take a 2-0 lead in the third inning of the opener,
then broke things open when the Eagles' defense fell apart behind
starter Jason Aguilar, 1-1, and reliever Jason Chabarria in the fifth.
In the second game, the Tors grabbed a quick 1-0 lead off starter Moses
Martinez, but were held to just two hits over the final four innings by
Martinez and Richard Gutierrez, who made his first varsity appearance on
the mound.
Martinez upped his record to 4-1, despite some uncharacteristic control
problems. The lefthander walked five in four innings, including three in
the second. But he was helped there when catcher Mark Abila threw out
Jason Sanchez trying to steal, then recovered to allow only one run in
the third, after the Tors put runners on second and third with none out.
A single, walk and throwing error by Abila set that up, but that was
the Eagles' lone mistake of the second game, compared to nine errors by
Lamesa. In contrast, Pecos made eight errors, to go along with six
passed balls and two wild pitches in their first game defeat.
But it was Morales' pitching more than anything that made the
difference. He struck out 13 of the 20 batters he faced, including a
streak of seven in a row at one point, and didn't walk a man during the
game.
Aguilar, meanwhile, had better control than in his last outing against
Greenwood, striking out seven while walking just three. But he had to
pitch out of jams a couple of times and gave up eight hits before
leaving in the fifth, after a walk to Morales and singles by Efrian Mata
and Dylan Hogg.
Both those hits were followed by errors -- Cisco Rodriguez overthrew
home plate on Mata's hit, scoring one run, and Hogg went to second when
his single caromed off Oscar Luna's shin in right field. Chabarria came
on to pitch, and Rodriguez went into catch after that play, and things
didn't get any better.
Sanchez reached on an error by shortstop John Paul Vasquez, two passed
balls by Rodriguez brought home one run, and Jacob Hernandez then
blooped a RBI single in front of Luna in right. A double-steal then
scored Gary Yoder to make it 7-0, and in the sixth two more runs scored
off Chabarria and Campos thanks to two walks, a Hogg single, an error by
Eric Abila in center, another passed ball and a wild pitch by Campos.
Morales' success at keeping Pecos off base hid Lamesa's fielding
problems. One of the few balls the Eagles hit fair in the opener -- a
Rodriguez pop-up, was dropped by center fielder Rudy Fernandez in the
first inning. and the Eagles got their last run after Jason Abila's
homer, when P.J. Villanueva walked, was safe at second on a bad throw by
Mata after being picked off first, then stole third and scored on a bad
throw by Jeremy Gonzales, who replaced Hogg at catcher.
Having won the opener, and with a Saturday afternoon game coming
against Fort Stockton (which the Tors won, 10-6), Lamesa coach Tony
Grego opted to rest six of his Game 1 starters, after Williams had sat a
couple of his regulars in the opener. Playing the subs did hurt Lamesa's
defense, but as things turned out, six of their nine errors in the
nightcap came from opening game starters.
Another mistake -- this one in judgment -- by Fernandez set up the
Eagles' first run. He dove and missed a Nestor Mendoza line drive,
turning it into a triple, and he scored moments later on a Gonzales
passed ball.
Jason Garcia then walked Eric Abila and on a hit-and-run, Rodriguez
bounced one over Garcia's head on the mound. Shortstop Bren Cartwright
tried for a play at first, but tossed it by Ellis, allowing Abila to
score.
Rodriguez went to second, then somehow managed to avoid a tag by Morales
at third, after being picked off second by Garcia. He scored on another
Gonzales passed ball and after a walk to Gutierrez, he came in all the
way from first when no one caught Jason Abila's sky-high pop up just
behind shortstop, turning it into an RBI double.
The third opened with a single to right by Joseph Strain, and then
Morales' troubles really began. After Strain was wild-pitched to second,
he made a nice play to field Luna's grounder, but then threw the ball by
Ellis for a error. After two outs and another wild pitch made it 6-2,
Eric Abila reached third on another throw past first by Morales, and
then scored when the third baseman tripped trying to catch a pickoff
throw from Garcia.
Sanchez relieved Garcia in the fourth. He gave up a one-out homer to
Mark Abila, his first of the season, then booted Strain's chopper near
the mound. After an infield hit by Eric Aguilar the Eagles worked a
double-steal, scoring when new shortstop Eric Garcia threw past Gonzales
at home plate. One out later it was Garcia's turn to throw it by Ellis
on a Moses Martinez grounder, which was followed by a Sanchez wild pitch
and an error by Yoder at second, which gave the Eagles an 11-2 lead.
The Eagles' last run, which ended the game under the 10-run rule, was
almost without any help from the Tors. Gutierrez singled to right, and
Jason Abila reached on a bunt single before Mark Abila was hit for the
second time in the game, loading the bases. Griego then tried to keep
the game going, putting both Mata in to pitch and Hogg back into catch,
but Strain spoiled that move, lining a pitch into the gap in left-center
to score Gutierrez and end the game.
"If we get on base, we're going to make something happen," Williams
said. "They're going to have to throw us out, and I don't think a high
school team can consistently throw us out.
"What I am worried about is the lefthanders we're fixing to see. We
need to hit those lefthanded pitchers," Williams said, referring to
Jarod Shelton and Lance Martin, the pitchers for Sweetwater and Andrews
that Pecos is likely to face this week in their District 4-4A openers.
District opens for Pecos at home Tuesday against Sweetwater, and they
go to Andrews on Thursday for their 4-4A road opener, both at 7:30 p.m.
Pecos' junior varsity came out of Andrews on Friday with a 6-5 win over
the Mustangs' JV, while the Eagles' freshman scored a 15-5 road win over
Crane's JV on Friday.
First Game
LAMESA................................ PECOS
.............. .....ab.....r.....h.....bi..... .....ab.....r.....h.....bi
Ferndez cf.....4.....1.....2.....0.....E.Abila cf.....3.....1.....1.....1
E.Grcia 2b.....4.....0.....0.....0.....Rdrgz lf-c.....3.....0.....0.....0
Morales p......3.....0.....0.....0......R.Gutrez
3b.....3.....0.....0....0
Herndez cr.....0.....2.....0.....0.....Vasquez ss.....0.....0.....0.....0
Boyd cr........0.....0.....0.....0.....J. Abila
dh.....3.....1.....1.....1
J.Garcia p.....0.....0.....0.....0.....M.Abila c.....1.....0.....0.....0
Mata 1b........4.....2.....3.....2.....Villanva
lf.....1.....1.....0.....0
Hogg c.........5.....0.....3.....2.....Luna rf.....2.....0.....0.....0
Crtwrght cr....0.....2.....0.....0.....E.Aguilar
rf.....1.....0.....0.....0
Gnzales c......0.....0.....0.....0.....Mendoza 2b.....3.....0.....0.....0
Sanchez lf.....2.....1.....0.....0.....J.Aguilar
p.....1.....0.....0.....0
Kapler 3b......3.....0.....1.....0.....Chbrria p.....0.....0.....0.....0
Yoder ph.......0.....1.....0.....0.....Campos p.....1.....0.....0.....0
Ellis rf.......4.....0.....2.....0.....J.Gutrrez
1b.....2.....0.....0.....0
Dimas ss.......2.....0.....0.....0
Hrnandz ph.....1.....0.....1.....1
Totals........32.....9.....12.....5.....Totals........24.....3.....2....
.2
Lamesa....... 0 0 2...0 5 2...0 --9
Pecos........ 0 0 0...0 0 1...2 --3
Fernandez awarded first on catcher's interference
E -- M. Abila, Fernandez, Rodriguez 2, Luna, Vasquez 2, R. Gutierrez, E.
Abila, Mata, Gonzales. DP -- Pecos 1. LOB -- Lamesa 11, Pecos 1. 2B --
Ferandnez. HR -- E. Abila (2), J. Abila (3). S -- E. Garcia. SB --
Rodriguez, Sanchez, Yoder, Hernandez, E. Garcia, Villanueva. CS --
Sanchez (by Rodriguez).
.....................IP H R ER BB KO
Lamesa
Morales W............ 6 1 1 1 0 13
J. Garcia............ 1 1 2 1 1 2
Pecos
J. Aguilar L, 1-1.... 4 8 5 4 3 7
Chabarria.............1 2 4 3 2 0
Campos................2 2 0 0 2 0
WP -- J. Aguilar, Campos. PB -- M. Abila 2, Rodriguez 4.
T -- 2:23.
Second Game
............... LAMESA........................ PECOS
......... .....ab.....r.....h.....bi..... .....ab.....r.....h.....bi
Frndz cf-lf.....3.....1.....1.....0.....E.Abila
cf.....3.....2.....1.....0
J.Grca p-cf.....2.....1.....1.....0.....Rodriguz
lf.....2.....2.....1.....0
Morales 3b......2.....0.....0.....0.....R.Gtrz
3b-p.....2.....2.....1.....0
Ramirez rf......0.....0.....0.....0.....J.Abila
ss.....4.....0.....2.....1
Mata dh-p.......1.....0.....0.....0.....M.Abila c.....2.....1.....1.....1
Ellis 1b........2.....0.....0.....1.....E.Aguilr
cr.....0.....0.....0.....0
Gonzales c......1.....0.....0.....0.....Strain 1b.....3.....1.....2.....1
Sanchez cr......0.....0.....0.....0.....Luna rf.....2.....0.....0.....0
Hogg c..........0.....0.....0.....0.....E.Aguilr
rf.....1.....1.....1.....0
Yoder 2b........1.....0.....0.....0.....Mendoza
2b.....3.....2.....1.....0
Herndez lf......0.....0.....0.....0.....Martinez
p.....2.....0.....0.....0
Snchz p-rf......1.....0.....1.....0.....Villnuva
cr.....0.....1.....0.....0
Crtwrght ss.....2.....0.....0.....0.....Chabria
3b.....0.....0.....0.....0
E.Garcia ss.....0.....0.....0.....0
Totals.........15.....2.....3.....2.....Totals........24.....12.....10..
...3
Lamesa......... 1 0 1...0 0 -- 2
Pecos.......... 0 4 3...4 1 --12
None out when game ended on 10-run rule
E -- J. Garcia, Cartwright, M. Abila, Morales 3, Sanchez, E. Garica 2,
Yoder. LOB -- Lamesa 4, Pecos 8. 2B -- J. Abila. 3B -- Ferandnez,
Mendoza. HR -- M. Abila (1). SF -- J. Garcia. SB -- E. Abila 2, Yoder,
Rodriguez 2, E. Aguilar, Strain, R. Gutierrez. CS --Sanchez (by M.
Abila).
........................IP H R ER BB KO
Lamesa
J. Garcia L............. 3 6 7 4 2 6
Sanchez .................1 3 5 2 0 1
Mata ....................0 1 0 0 0 0
Pecos
Martinez W, 4-1......... 4 3 2 1 5 4
R.Gutierrez..............1 0 0 0 0 1
HBP -- Rodriguez 2 (by J. Garcia), M. Abila 2 (by J. Garcia and Sanchez).
WP -- J. Garcia 2, Sanchez. PB -- Gonzales.
T -- 1:42.
The three medals were among five overall for the Eagles, as distance
runners Billy Rodriguez and Mauricio Villescas got a chance to see most
of the runners they'll battle for regional berths in three weeks at the
District 4-4A track meet.
Meanwhile, up in Carlsbad, the Eagle girls scored 27 points in a field
of mostly Class 5A schools from Texas and New Mexico, in the Carlsbad
Relays.
Pecos' boys wound up fifth in the 11-team San Angelo field with 51
points. Big Spring won the title with a 129-123 advantage over the host
Chiefs. Sweetwater also broke the 100 point mark, finishing with 112, as
many of their key performers are just getting back into form after
playing for the Mustangs' regional championship basketball team.
"We had our best performance as a team," coach Mike Ferrell said, adding
that sophomore hurdlers/long jumpers Lucio Florez and Orlando Matta did
well, even though they didn't qualify for the finals. He was also happy
with Mata's anchor leg of the mile relay.
"Orlando ran the most courageous leg we've had all year. When he got the
baton he was about 20 meters behind Mineral Wells, he caught him, and we
were able to get fifth place," Ferrell said. Matta, Florez, Roy Marta
and Len Carson made up the 1600 meter squad, which placed sixth.
Brownlee won the discus Friday afternoon with a 166-foot-½ effort, just
3½ feet short of his best mark for the year, and 13 feet better than Big
Spring's Dan Brewster. Jake Fowler also scored in the event, finishing
sixth with a 139-8_ throw.
On Saturday, Brownlee won with a 55-7¼ toss, while his brother threw
50-foot-4. That's six inches better than his previous best mark, and was
four inches better than Lake View's Cody Crill, who took third.
"He threw his best of the year on his fifth throw, after Crill had
passed him," Ferrell said. "I feel he should be able to go 52 feet by
the district meet."
Rodriguez got his bronze medal in the 1600, finishing just behind one
district rival, Big Spring's Marco Torres, and Granbury's Chris Grigsby.
The junior had a 4:38.15 time to 4:35.90 for Torres and 4:36.81 for
Grigsby.
In the 800, Rodriguez was fourth with a 2:03.52 time, behind Lake View's
Justin Daniel (1:58.41), Mineral Wells' J.R. Mercer (1:58.50) and
Sweetwater's Jason Sepeda (2:02.00).
Villescas also had a pair of district rivals in front of him, as he
placed third in the 3200 with a 10:20.47 time. Big Spring's Torres won
the race, with a 10:07.44, while Lake View's Justin Haby was second, in
10:10.96.
"I was real pleased with the way Mauricio ran. He's on a pace to go
below 10 minutes at the district meet," Ferrell said. "Billy's on a pace
to run a sub-4:30 mile at district, if he needs to. In the 800, Billy
got boxed in a little, and before he got out the young man from Lake
View pulled away."
Pecos also got a fifth place finish out of Carson, Jose Perez, Jesus
Garcia and Oscar Medrano in the one race that won't be a part of the
district meet, the 3200 meter relay.
Pecos' girls got only one varsity medal in Carlsbad, a second by junior
Marisol Arenivas in the 3200 meter run, with a 12:49.87 time.
"All the schools were bigger than us. Permian was there, and Carlsbad,
Roswell Goddard and El Paso Andress," said Eagles' coach Becky Granado,
who ran some of her freshman and sophomores in the junior varsity
division.
Arenivas also placed fifth in the 3200 meter run, while Penny Armstrong
was fourth in the discus and sixth in the high jump, Julie Lujan was
fifth in the shot put and Veronica Carrasco was fifth in the 300 meter
hurdles.
Both the 800 meter relay team of Monica Carrasco, Lori Marquez,
Armstrong and Annette Marquez, and the 1600 meter relay squad of both
Carrascos, Annette Marquez and Eric Orona, placed fifth as well in the
meet.
On the JV level, sophomore Liz Parent won the 800 and 1600 meter runs,
while Katrina Quiroz was third in the shot put and fifth in the discus.
Both Pecos teams have two more meets before District 4-4A competition,
this
Friday at Monahans and on April 5 at Monahans.
Pecos' boys, meanwhile, aren't in as good a shape as the girls, and
they won't get a round at the Reeves County Golf Course this year. But
the Eagles are in better shape this year than in recent seasons of the
4-4A tournament.
Playing in Andrews for the second time in three weeks, Pecos' girls
shot a 346 and stand fourth after 18 holes of the 54 hole tournament.
Big Spring shot a 348 and holds a two stroke lead over Andrews, while
Fort Stockton is two strokes behind the Mustangs, at 352.
"We're going to try and move up," said Eagles' coach Tina Hendrick. "If
we can cut our scores down at the next tournament in San Angelo (on
April 3), and stay in there with them, we have a chance."
Individually, Sara Armstrong is tied for second in the medalists' race
with Big Spring's Stefanie Waggoner, after a round of 84 on Saturday.
Andrews' Jennifer Sanders leads the field with an 80.
"Sara amazes me every tournament. She's doing wonderful," Hendrick
said. "We just need to keep her shooting low scores."
Alva Alvarez and Anica Garcia were both at 92 after the first round,
while Lindley Workman shot a 96 and Kim Clark had a 98 on the day for
the other `A' team totals.
Pecos' `B' team also had a good day, shooting a 400 to place ahead of a
pair of `A' teams from San Angelo Lake View (430) and Sweetwater (442).
The `B' squad is seventh, behind Fort Stockton `B' (384) and Andrews `B'
(398).
Elvisa Morales shot a 95 to lead the `B' team's scores, and was
followed by Belinda Heard with a 98, Amanda Stickels with a 101, Candace
Roach with a 106 and Amanda Hernandez with a 111.
Meanwhile, Pecos boys find themselves behind some `B' squads, after
shooting a 346 on Saturday in the first round of their 54-hole district
tourney.
Coach Joe Wheeler was a little disappointed with the results, after
Pecos had shot a 327 to place second in tournament play at Alpine
earlier in the week.
"Their course (Fort Stockton) was a little tougher, and we just didn't
hit the ball as well as we did in Alpine," said Wheeler, who was taking
the team to Van Horn for a tournament this afternoon.
Andrews and Fort Stockton tied for first after the first round on the
Panthers' home course, both with 305 totals. San Angelo Lake View was
nine strokes back at 314, followed by Big Spring at 317, Andrews `B' at
327 and Fort Stockton's and San Angelo's `B' teams, with 344s.
After Pecos was Sweetwater `A' (352), Big Spring `B' (359), Sweetwater
`B' (363) and the Eagles' `B' team, at 386.
Casey Love had Pecos' low score of the day, an 83, followed by Jason
Salcido at 84, Lee Lyles at 88, Robert Cravey at 91 and Dallas Jarrett
at 93. At Alpine, Love had shot a 76, Cravey an 80, Salcido an 82 and
Jarrett an 83.
The `B' team got an 86 from Chris Ryan on Saturday's round at Fort
Stockton, while Erik Machuca shot a 94, John Granado a 101 and Michael
O'Callahan had a 105.
Overall, Andrews' J. Chris Hubert led all golfers with a 74, one shot
up teammate Brad Gibson, Fort Stockton's Corey Theil and San Angelo's
Jamie Higdon.
The second round of the boys' tournament is set for April 5 at Big
Spring.
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