Sandies’ Comeback Bid Falls Short

LaPoynor 4 Grapeland 3

By Will Johnson

Messenger Reporter

GAPELAND – The Grapeland Sandies squared off the against the LaPoynor Flyers on the baseball diamond on a chilly Monday night and despite a rally in the bottom of the seventh, Grapeland fell just short, dropping the game by a final score of 4-3.

Cole Goolsby got the nod for the Sandies and he worked a 1-2-3 first as he forced Kasen Reynolds to ground out, fanned Austin Majors and popped up Case Partridge to retire the side.

When the Sandies came in from the field, they managed to get two on board but couldn’t do anything with runners on the base paths. Majors was on the mound for the Flyers and he got Slade Harris to fly out to center on a 1-0 pitch.

Peyton Prater followed in the order and drew a walk. Goolsby was up next and was called out on a foul tip. Jason DeCluette drew a walk to move Prater to second, but Majors caught Jax Vickers looking at strike three to end the inning.

Goolsby had another easy inning in the second as he struck out Karson Rhoades on four pitches and then got Blaine Musselman to swing and miss on a full count. After he gave up a walk to Corbin Moeller, Goolsby got Jayden Manken to ground into a fielder’s choice to end the top half of the inning.

Once again, Grapeland had runners on the base paths in the bottom of the second but couldn’t bring ‘em home. Jayce Elliott led off and was hit by a pitch. Johnny Lamb moved Elliott to second with a sacrifice while Jacob Vaden walked to put runners on first and second with only one out.

That was as far as they would get, however, as Rickie Gilmore grounded into a 6-4-3 double play to bring the second inning to a close.

The Flyers drew first blood in the top of the third on an unearned run. Rustin Pittman reached on an error to start things off. It looked like he may be stranded there after Heston Massey lined back to Goolsby on the mound while Reynolds popped up to short.

A wild pitch moved Pittman to second and then an infield error allowed him to round the bases and score to give the Flyers the early 1-0 lead. Fortunately, Goolsby shook off the run as he came back to strike out Partridge on a 2-2 count.

The Sandies put two more runners on the base paths in the third, but couldn’t cash in. Harris grounded out to open the frame but Prater and Goolsby both drew walks. DeCluette popped up to short and then Vickers popped up to second to end the inning with LaPoynor still ahead 1-0.

Lamb came on in relief to start the fourth and picked up where Goolsby left off. He forced Rhoades to ground out and then got Musselman to pop up on the first pitch he saw. After a walk to Mueller, Lamb got Marnken to hit into a 5-4 force at second to bring the game to its midway point.

Elliott drew a walk to open the bottom of the fourth for Grapeland. He attempted to steal second with Lamb at the plate but was gunned down at the bag. Lamb struck out after the attempted steal but Vaden drew a walk and stole second to keep the Sandies’ hopes alive in the inning.

Majors, who was still on the mound for the Flyers, had different ideas as he fanned Gilmore to end the inning.

The Flyers tacked on another run in the top of the fifth. Pittman reached on an infield error and was moved to second by a Massey sacrifice. A passed ball moved Pittman to third and he scored when Reynolds hit a slow roller back to the mound. Lamb was able to field the ball cleanly and caught Reynolds at first. Majors followed with a pop to short to end the Flyers half of the fifth but not before they had extended their lead to 2-0.

Reynolds came on in relief of Majors for the Flyers as the bottom half of the fifth got underway and promptly walked Harris. Harris took second on a wild pitch and moved to third when Prater grounded into a 6-3 force.

Goolsby was up next but on attempted pick off at third, the Flyers committed an error which allowed Harris to trot home with the Sandies’ first run of the game. Unfortunately, that was all they would get as Goolsby struck out and then DeCluette also fanned to end the frame with the Sandies trailing 2-1.

In the sixth, LaPoynor extended its lead to 4-1. Partridge led off the sixth and was hit by a pitch. After Rhoades was called out on a foul tip, Musselman tripled to center, bringing Partridge all the way around the bases. Mueller was up next and pounded a pitch into the dirt. Goolsby pounced on it but it was far enough out in front of the plate that his only play was at first, which allowed Musselman to score.

Manken reached on an error but Pittman grounded out to end the inning with the Flyers now up 4-1.

In the bottom of the sixth, the Sandies put their first two batters on base when Vickers drew a walk and Elliott was hit by a pitch. That was as far as they would get, however, as Reynolds fanned the next three batters to end the fame.

Vickers came on in relief of Lamb to start the seventh and worked a fairly easy half-inning to help give the Sandies one last chance.

Harris led off the bottom of the seventh with a single past third. Prater was caught looking at strike three but Goolsby followed with a liner into center that moved Harris to third. DeCluette was up next and he dropped a flare into right that plated Harris, while Goolsby took third.

With the score now 4-2, I. Chimal came in as a pinch runner for DeCluette. Vickers was up next and he roped a double into center, driving in Goolsby from third. Chimal was thrown out at third, however, for the second out. Vickers was still on second but Elliott, who was up next, couldn’t catch up to a Reynolds’ heater and struck out to end the game, with the Flyers picking up the W by a final score of 4-3.

Will Johnson may be reached via e-mail at [email protected].