Grapeland Bats Quiet in Loss to Centerville

By Will Johnson

Messenger Reporter

CENTERVILLE – This is what the Grapeland Sandies had worked for. It was a shot at the district lead with time running down in league competition.

The Sandies had won nine of 10 games in District 21-2A with their only loss coming at the hands of the Centerville Tigers back in mid-March. On Monday evening, the two teams met in a rematch for what likely was the title game.

Grapeland had put themselves in this position with a walk-off win against the Leon Cougars on Friday, but unfortunately, the Sandies came out flat against the Tigers and fell by a final score of 10-0.

James Bodine got the start for Centerville and had the Sandies’ number from the get-go. After a lead-off walk to Slade Harris, Bodine forced Peyton Prater to hit into a double play. Cole Goolsby followed in the batting order and flew out to center to end the Sandies’ half of the first inning.

Prater got the nod for Grapeland and looked sharp in the opening frame. After he gave up a lead-off walk to Kasen Jeitz, Prater struck out Cooper Fisher and Sully Hill, then popped up Cameron Pate in foul territory to end the inning.

Bodine returned in the second and fanned Jason DeCluette to open the frame. After a single from Jax Vickers, the right-hander fanned Johnny Lamb and Jacob Vaden to bring his teammates in from the field.

In the bottom of the second, Prater struggled with his control. He hit Bodine with an 1-0 pitch and then walked Jake Pineda. Trayce Schwab came in as a courtesy runner for Bodine and when Canon Earley singled to right, the Tigers had the bases loaded with nobody out.

Zantayl Holley followed in the batting order and roped a triple into left field, driving in Schwab, Pineda and Earley to make the score 3-0. Daxten Parker was up next and popped up to second for the first out of the inning.

That brought the top of the order to the plate and with Jeitz in the batter’s box, a balk allowed Holley to trot home, making the score 4-0. Prater got Jeitz to ground out, but then gave up a single to Fisher. When Fisher tried to steal second, however, Goolsby gunned him down at the bag to end the inning.

A quiet third gave way to the fourth and after the Sandies were unable to generate any offense in their at-bat, the Tigers struck for four more in the bottom half of the inning to make the score 8-0.

The Grapeland bats remained quiet in the top of the fifth and when Centerville plated two more in the bottom half of the frame, the game was called because of the 10-run rule.

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