Scoop27
05-20-2016, 10:52 AM
From The Brazosport Facts
SWEENY — A five-run fourth inning broke things open for the Sweeny Bulldogs against the El Campo Ricebirds on Thursday.
With the game tied at 2, the Bulldogs scored on hits from Shawn Kelley, Hayden Fails and Dax McCleary en route to a 7-3 victory in Game 1 of the best-of-three Class 4A Region IV quarterfinal series at Bulldog Field.
Game 2 is at 7:30 p.m. today at El Campo High School, but because of the recent heavy rain Thursday, a decision will be made during the day to play in El Campo or come back to Sweeny to play after the conclusion of the Pearland-Clear Creek contest, which is scheduled to start at 4 p.m.
“We made pitches at the right time, Ty (Ringo) battled all night and Caden (Homniok) came in and made pitches when he had to,” Sweeny Bulldog coach David Luster said. “We got some big hits from our seniors tonight.”
A couple of walks by El Campo starter Collin Quinn to start the fourth put Cody Erickson on first base and Kyle Schaefer on second. Jacob Mathis then hit a fly ball to right field that was misplayed to load the bases.
Kelley was next, lining a shot to right field and driving in Schaefer to give the Bulldogs (27-5) a 3-2 advantage. The next batter was Fails (2-for-3, three RBIs), who cleared the bases with a triple to the gap in left field, upping the lead to 6-2.
McCleary finished the scoring by driving in Fails with a double, but was thrown out trying to extend it to third.
Ringo (two runs, two hits, five walks, four strikeouts) lasted 4 1/3 frames before giving way to Homniok, a freshman making his second appearance.
“Ty didn’t have his best stuff, but you know that is going to happen and it hasn’t happen too often all year,” Luster said of the sophomore. “He didn’t have his best stuff but he is a warrior and made pitches when he had to.”
Homniok came in with runners on first and second and no outs in that fifth and allowed one run before getting out of a bases-loaded jam. He finished with five strikeouts and the save.
Sweeny’s defense also played a big part in the win, and the tone was set in the first frame, when freshman third baseman Quinton Martin made a nice snag on a grounder, and left fielder Mike Wetch got turned around by a fly ball but recovered in time to make a tough catch.
Ringo also picked off El Campo’s Brok Brandl at second, another big play for the Bulldogs’ in the field.
“We did make some big plays tonight. Every time they’d get a bit of a wind in their sails, we’d come up with a big defensive play,” Luster said. “It kind of took the wind out of their sails a bit, and there were some huge defensive plays tonight.”
Sweeny took a 2-0 lead in the first inning with Kelley (2-for-4, two RBIs) and McCleary (2-for-3, two RBIs) driving in runs.
With Ringo struggling, the Ricebirds (24-7) loaded the bases in the second but could push only one across. The lefty got out of the jam with back-to-back strikeouts and a flyout.
“We have lots of arms and they are young,” Luster said.
El Campo’s final run came in the fifth, but the Ricebirds had numerous chances to put runs on the scoreboard. They stranded eight base runners and had five hits in the contest.
SWEENY — A five-run fourth inning broke things open for the Sweeny Bulldogs against the El Campo Ricebirds on Thursday.
With the game tied at 2, the Bulldogs scored on hits from Shawn Kelley, Hayden Fails and Dax McCleary en route to a 7-3 victory in Game 1 of the best-of-three Class 4A Region IV quarterfinal series at Bulldog Field.
Game 2 is at 7:30 p.m. today at El Campo High School, but because of the recent heavy rain Thursday, a decision will be made during the day to play in El Campo or come back to Sweeny to play after the conclusion of the Pearland-Clear Creek contest, which is scheduled to start at 4 p.m.
“We made pitches at the right time, Ty (Ringo) battled all night and Caden (Homniok) came in and made pitches when he had to,” Sweeny Bulldog coach David Luster said. “We got some big hits from our seniors tonight.”
A couple of walks by El Campo starter Collin Quinn to start the fourth put Cody Erickson on first base and Kyle Schaefer on second. Jacob Mathis then hit a fly ball to right field that was misplayed to load the bases.
Kelley was next, lining a shot to right field and driving in Schaefer to give the Bulldogs (27-5) a 3-2 advantage. The next batter was Fails (2-for-3, three RBIs), who cleared the bases with a triple to the gap in left field, upping the lead to 6-2.
McCleary finished the scoring by driving in Fails with a double, but was thrown out trying to extend it to third.
Ringo (two runs, two hits, five walks, four strikeouts) lasted 4 1/3 frames before giving way to Homniok, a freshman making his second appearance.
“Ty didn’t have his best stuff, but you know that is going to happen and it hasn’t happen too often all year,” Luster said of the sophomore. “He didn’t have his best stuff but he is a warrior and made pitches when he had to.”
Homniok came in with runners on first and second and no outs in that fifth and allowed one run before getting out of a bases-loaded jam. He finished with five strikeouts and the save.
Sweeny’s defense also played a big part in the win, and the tone was set in the first frame, when freshman third baseman Quinton Martin made a nice snag on a grounder, and left fielder Mike Wetch got turned around by a fly ball but recovered in time to make a tough catch.
Ringo also picked off El Campo’s Brok Brandl at second, another big play for the Bulldogs’ in the field.
“We did make some big plays tonight. Every time they’d get a bit of a wind in their sails, we’d come up with a big defensive play,” Luster said. “It kind of took the wind out of their sails a bit, and there were some huge defensive plays tonight.”
Sweeny took a 2-0 lead in the first inning with Kelley (2-for-4, two RBIs) and McCleary (2-for-3, two RBIs) driving in runs.
With Ringo struggling, the Ricebirds (24-7) loaded the bases in the second but could push only one across. The lefty got out of the jam with back-to-back strikeouts and a flyout.
“We have lots of arms and they are young,” Luster said.
El Campo’s final run came in the fifth, but the Ricebirds had numerous chances to put runs on the scoreboard. They stranded eight base runners and had five hits in the contest.