Grapeland Pounds Latexo, 16-2
7-Run First Inning Key to Win
By Will Johnson
Messenger Reporter
GRAPELAND – The Grapeland Sandies are in a fight for the final playoff seed from District 21-2A and were in need of a win as the Latexo Tigers came to town on Saturday, April 17. The game had originally been scheduled for Friday afternoon, but had been rained out.
The Sandies entered the Saturday evening contest with a 3-5 mark in district play while the Tigers were 1-8 and had been mathematically eliminated from the playoffs. Grapeland, on the other hand, was two games back of the Leon Cougars who were hammered, 24-1, by the Lovelady Lions on Friday.
Cameron Navarette got the start for the Sandies and worked an efficient first inning. He caught Eli Filer looking at strike three and got Logan Ray to swing at a pitch out of the strike zone for the second out. A walk to Sam Jones didn’t do any damage as Navarette forced Cameron Baker to ground into a 4-3 force at first to end the Latexo half of the inning.
When the Sandies came up to bat, they were all business as they plated seven runs. Sam Jones was on the hill for the Tigers and he got Cole Goolsby to watch as strike three sailed by. Jax Vickers was up next and legged out a hard shot to third for a single.
Cooper Sheridan followed in the order and roped a single into left, which moved Vickers to second. A pop up to third by Jason DeCluette accounted for the second out and it seemed Jones might wriggle off the hook.
Unfortunately, Jones plunked Navarette with a 3-2 pitch to load the bases. Jayce Elliott followed Navarette in the batting order and delivered a single to left, pushing Vickers and Sheridan across the dish while Navarette advanced to third.
A pick off attempt at first allowed Navarette to slide home safely, and on the next pitch to Jacob Vaden, Elliott stole second. Vaden eventually walked to bring Peyton Prater to the plate.
Prater slapped a grounder past first which brought in Elliott to make the score 4-0. On the play, Vaden advanced to third.
Slade Harris was next in the batters’ box and on a 2-0 pitch Prater stole second. A wild pitch brought in Vaden and moved Prater up to third. Harris drew a walk and when the top of the order rolled around again, Goolsby singled past third to drive in Prater while sending Harris to second.
On a double steal, Harris moved to third while Goolsby took second. With Vickers at the plate, a wild pitch brought in Harris to make the score 7-0. On the same play, Goolsby advanced to third. One pitch later, Goolsby attempted to steal home but was ruled out at the plate to end the inning.
Navarette was back on the mound for Grapeland and on a 1-0 pitch, he plunked Malachi Reece. Kade Hauck sacrificed Reece to second but that was a s far as he would get as Navarette caught the next two batters – Tyler Lumbreraz and Jack Easley – watching strike three go by to end the Latexo half of the second.
The Sandies tacked on three more runs in the bottom of the inning to take a 10-0 lead after two. Vickers led off with a single to right and moved to second on a wild pitch. Sheridan followed with a walk while Vickers stole third.
A single from DeCluette plated Vickers and sent Sheridan to third. An error on the play allowed Sheridan to trot home while DeCluette moved to second.
The Tigers made a pitching change and brought Ray to the mound. The first batter he faced was Navarette and Ray drilled him with a pitch to give the Sandies men on first and second with no outs.
Ray settled down somewhat and got Elliott to chase strike three. He also picked off DeCluette at second, but an error on a pick-off attempt at first sent Navarette to second. Vaden brought him in on drive to center to put the Sandies up 10-0.
Ray managed to limit the damage and the Tigers shaved a couple of runs off of the Grapeland lead when they came in from the field.
Josh Yorgensen popped out to left, but Filer followed and reached on an error. A single from Ray moved Filer to second and when Jones doubled into right field, Filer came around to score while Ray moved to third.
A ground ball out by Baker drove in Reece to but that was all the Latexo squad could muster as Navarette struck out Reece to end the Tigers’ threat.
Grapeland plated three more in the bottom of the third and another three in the fourth while Navarette and Elliott held Latexo scoreless the rest of the way to help Grapeland pick up the win by a final of 16-2.
Navarette picked up the win as he worked four innings, giving up two runs on three hits. He also struck out five and walked one.
At the plate, the Sandies were led by Cooper Sheridan who was 2-2, with four runs scored, an RBI and a walk. Jax Vickers was 2-4 with three runs scored and an RBI.
The win moves the Sandies district record to 4-5 and moves them to within a game of the playoffs.
Will Johnson may be contacted via e-mail at [email protected].
