Johnnypaycheck
02-21-2006, 10:20 AM
Columbia 6
Brazosport 2
W- Oscar Rodriguez
L- Herrera
Save- Blake Gupton
Brazosport's new ballpark is a beautiful place to play a game!
Columbia lifts off season with a win
By Chris Greene
The Facts
Published February 21, 2006
FREEPORT — A few hundred fans and former Brazosport players braved the cold, damp weather Monday to attend the opening of the new home of the Exporters, who have moved from Lions Field into a new stadium just behind the high school.
Unfortunately for Brazosport, a dozen or so visitors from West Columbia, equally impressed with the new facility, took the field and handed the Ships a 6-2 defeat in the first game of the year for both teams.
“It’s always good to start the season with a win,” Columbia head coach Jeff Shank said. “We did a good job. We battled, we played hard. We still have a lot of work to do, but I was pleased.”
Shank said it was nice to open the season at the new Freeport complex.
“It’s a beautiful ballpark. What a place,” Shank said. “They did it right here.”
Columbia (1-0) scored three runs in the third inning to build a 4-2 lead and added a pair of insurance runs in the top of the seventh to secure the win.
Columbia’s Oscar Rodriguez was the winning pitcher, striking out seven and giving up five hits through four innings. He walked two.
Blake Gupton pitched the final three innings for the Roughnecks, striking out five and allowing five hits.
Brazosport’s Jonathan Herrera took the loss. The sophomore had five strikeouts, gave up two walks and allowed five hits in four innings.
Bristan Clingaman finished the game for the Exporters. He struck out the first two batters he faced in the fifth, but gave up two hits in the seventh — including a two-run double by Jeremy Flannagan that scored Devin Fletcher and Adrian Montoya.
The Exporters (0-1) scored their two runs in the bottom of the first, getting to Rodriguez early. Mike Garcia led off the inning with a walk and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Herrera. Derek Patterson was hit by a pitch to put runners at first and second, and Donovan Swanson brought Garcia home with an RBI double. Javier Lerma followed with a single to score Patterson.
Clingaman drew a walk to load the bases, but Rodriguez got out of the jam by striking out the next two batters.
Columbia’s Adriana Montoya cut the lead to 2-1 with a leadoff home run in the top of the second inning, and the Roughnecks added three runs with two outs in the third inning. Fletcher scored from third base on a throwing error on a play at first, and Justin Keith hit a two-run double that scored Hogan Hobbs, who had walked, and Flanagan.
Brazosport had its chances to get back in the game, leaving two on base in the fourth, three in the fifth, one in the sixth and two in the seventh.
“We struggled with runners in scoring position,” Brazosport head coach Jason Thompson said. “We have to get better at putting the ball in play in those situations.”
Four errors also hurt the Exporters’ chances.
“They were routine plays,” Thompson said. “And we stress to our guys that we are not looking for anybody to make great plays. We want to execute the routine plays, and we didn’t always do that tonight. And, unfortunately, the times we didn’t happened to be with people on base.
“Columbia did a great job of, with runners in scoring position, putting the ball in play and making us play defense. A couple of times we just didn’t do it.”
Thompson, however, said he was proud of his team’s effort playing for the first time in its new home.
“I told the kids ... we did a superb job of coming into the game focused and that was something that I was concerned about with all the hype coming into this,” Thompson said. “We did as good a job as we have ever done of coming in ready to play and taking the ballgame to them. If that is something we can do every time out, we are going to win a lot more than we lose.”
Festivities started about 5:15 p.m. at the new facility with the introduction of Freeport Mayor Jim Phillips and former Brazosport baseball players, including members of the 1964 and 1966 state champion teams. Former Exporters coach J.B. Carroll, who led those titles teams, threw out the first pitch.
The game not only was the first game for the new stadium, but the first of the season for Brazoria County baseball teams.
Danbury hosts Van Vleck and Sweeny hosts Columbus in season-opening games tonight. Danbury plays at 7 p.m. and Sweeny at 7:30 p.m.
Other county teams begin their seasons in various tournaments beginning Thursday.
Brazosport and Columbia next play in the Hit and Run Classic beginning Thursday. Games will be played in West Columbia and Sweeny.
Brazosport 2
W- Oscar Rodriguez
L- Herrera
Save- Blake Gupton
Brazosport's new ballpark is a beautiful place to play a game!
Columbia lifts off season with a win
By Chris Greene
The Facts
Published February 21, 2006
FREEPORT — A few hundred fans and former Brazosport players braved the cold, damp weather Monday to attend the opening of the new home of the Exporters, who have moved from Lions Field into a new stadium just behind the high school.
Unfortunately for Brazosport, a dozen or so visitors from West Columbia, equally impressed with the new facility, took the field and handed the Ships a 6-2 defeat in the first game of the year for both teams.
“It’s always good to start the season with a win,” Columbia head coach Jeff Shank said. “We did a good job. We battled, we played hard. We still have a lot of work to do, but I was pleased.”
Shank said it was nice to open the season at the new Freeport complex.
“It’s a beautiful ballpark. What a place,” Shank said. “They did it right here.”
Columbia (1-0) scored three runs in the third inning to build a 4-2 lead and added a pair of insurance runs in the top of the seventh to secure the win.
Columbia’s Oscar Rodriguez was the winning pitcher, striking out seven and giving up five hits through four innings. He walked two.
Blake Gupton pitched the final three innings for the Roughnecks, striking out five and allowing five hits.
Brazosport’s Jonathan Herrera took the loss. The sophomore had five strikeouts, gave up two walks and allowed five hits in four innings.
Bristan Clingaman finished the game for the Exporters. He struck out the first two batters he faced in the fifth, but gave up two hits in the seventh — including a two-run double by Jeremy Flannagan that scored Devin Fletcher and Adrian Montoya.
The Exporters (0-1) scored their two runs in the bottom of the first, getting to Rodriguez early. Mike Garcia led off the inning with a walk and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Herrera. Derek Patterson was hit by a pitch to put runners at first and second, and Donovan Swanson brought Garcia home with an RBI double. Javier Lerma followed with a single to score Patterson.
Clingaman drew a walk to load the bases, but Rodriguez got out of the jam by striking out the next two batters.
Columbia’s Adriana Montoya cut the lead to 2-1 with a leadoff home run in the top of the second inning, and the Roughnecks added three runs with two outs in the third inning. Fletcher scored from third base on a throwing error on a play at first, and Justin Keith hit a two-run double that scored Hogan Hobbs, who had walked, and Flanagan.
Brazosport had its chances to get back in the game, leaving two on base in the fourth, three in the fifth, one in the sixth and two in the seventh.
“We struggled with runners in scoring position,” Brazosport head coach Jason Thompson said. “We have to get better at putting the ball in play in those situations.”
Four errors also hurt the Exporters’ chances.
“They were routine plays,” Thompson said. “And we stress to our guys that we are not looking for anybody to make great plays. We want to execute the routine plays, and we didn’t always do that tonight. And, unfortunately, the times we didn’t happened to be with people on base.
“Columbia did a great job of, with runners in scoring position, putting the ball in play and making us play defense. A couple of times we just didn’t do it.”
Thompson, however, said he was proud of his team’s effort playing for the first time in its new home.
“I told the kids ... we did a superb job of coming into the game focused and that was something that I was concerned about with all the hype coming into this,” Thompson said. “We did as good a job as we have ever done of coming in ready to play and taking the ballgame to them. If that is something we can do every time out, we are going to win a lot more than we lose.”
Festivities started about 5:15 p.m. at the new facility with the introduction of Freeport Mayor Jim Phillips and former Brazosport baseball players, including members of the 1964 and 1966 state champion teams. Former Exporters coach J.B. Carroll, who led those titles teams, threw out the first pitch.
The game not only was the first game for the new stadium, but the first of the season for Brazoria County baseball teams.
Danbury hosts Van Vleck and Sweeny hosts Columbus in season-opening games tonight. Danbury plays at 7 p.m. and Sweeny at 7:30 p.m.
Other county teams begin their seasons in various tournaments beginning Thursday.
Brazosport and Columbia next play in the Hit and Run Classic beginning Thursday. Games will be played in West Columbia and Sweeny.