Feb 05, 2012
Mustangs get wake up call with late rally
May 19, 2009
HOUSTON — Head coach Charlie Taylor was thinking that he would be going on a field trip on Friday instead of being with his baseball team in the Class 4A Region III playoff game against Texas City.
"I couldn't believe we came out so flat against Houston Davis," Taylor said. "I guess we thought if we would just walk out on the field, they (Davis) would just roll over."
However -- the Davis Panthers didn't roll over and they scored one run in the first inning when Patrick Chenier scored from second base after a wild throw on a pickoff attempt. The Panthers loaded the bases and Taylor took out Friendswood starter Kevin Thornton in the top of the first and inserted Friendswood ace Kyle Burris (14-0).
"I wanted Kevin to give us some innings so I didn't have to use Kyle, but we were in a situation that there is no tomorrow if we don't win the game," Taylor said.
Burris pitched the Mustangs out of the jam and finished the game with 6 2/3 innings with nine strikeouts while allowing only one hit.
Davis made the one run stand for the rest of the game until Friendswood came to bat in the bottom of the seventh in a win or lose situation.
With one out and runners on second and third, Forrestt Allday hit a deep fly to centerfield. Courtesy runner Tanner Mertel tagged up to score from third while courtesy runner Kyle Kelley raced to third. The Davis centerfielder threw a strike to third base to put the tag on Kelley for the third out, but Mertel scored just steps before the final out to knot up the game at 1-1.
Burris struck out the side in the top of the eighth.
With new life and momentum, the Mustangs finally woke up to realize how close they had come to being eliminated from defending their Class 4A Region III crown.
Thornton walked to open up the eighth inning and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. Jesse Flores hit a slow grounder to third on a check swing. The Davis third baseman threw over the first baseman while Thornton was running full throttle to home to score the winning run giving Friendswood a 2-1 victory.
Friendswood's vaunted offense was held to only two hits as Flores and Austin Fitzpatrick both had singles.
"If this team is going to have a shot at winning region and realizing their dream of returning back to the state baseball tournament -- then they had better get hungry like they were last year," Taylor said. "Teams are not going to roll over for us. We are a team that has a target on our back and some team out there is gunning to eliminate us."
Friendswood will face district foe Texas City in the region quarterfinals. The day, time and place has not yet been determined. Check the schedule at www.reporternewssports.com for all playoff schedules.