Balk sends Mustangs to Region III finals

June 1, 2010

FRIENDSWOOD — It was one of those moments in a sport when the unthinkable happens and a mind-boggling call by an umpire shocks, not only the crowd, but two baseball teams who were locked in an extra inning tie game with the season on the line for both teams.

One of the rarest calls in baseball is a balk. By definition it means a pitcher does not come to a complete stop while standing on the pitching rubber or a pitcher begins to make the motions typically associated with his pitching delivery, but ceases during its delivery.

Those are just a couple of definitions associated with a balk that is rarely called during the course of a season.

But a walk-off balk is what ended the nine inning game between Friendswood and Port Neches-Groves that gave the Mustangs the shocking 9-8 win in the deciding Game 3 to send the Mustangs to the Class 4A Region III title game against Brenham beginning on Thursday, June 3 at 7:00 p.m. with the best-of-three series at Sam Houston State in Huntsville.

Game 2 will be on Friday, June 4 at 7:00 p.m. and Game 3 (if necessary) will be on Saturday, June 5 at 6:00 p.m.

Friendswood entered the best-of-three series against PN-G as the underdog, but they have been considered that for the better part of the playoffs after struggling through district action this season.

But the one factor that has propelled the Mustangs to the region final for the second time in the past three years is heart. A lot of heart by every member of the Friendswood team that has exhibited a won't quit attitude especially throughout the post-season.

In the first game of their best-of-three series, Friendswood rode the strong pitching of Tyler Sullivan who pitched four strong innings, allowing three hits and one earned run.

Kyle Singleton pitched four more strong innings allowing one hit, no earned runs and striking out eight!

PN-G tied the game up in the bottom of the eighth on a two base error, a passed ball and a hit.

But the Mustangs came roaring back in the top of the eighth as Jordan Gibbs got on base with an error by the second baseman on a sharp hit ball up the middle. The Indians intentionally walked Sullivan. Pinch-hitter Turner Goodwin laid down a perfect bunt single which scored the go ahead run. Mike Speck then drove a single to right field scoring two runs to make the final score 6-3. Singleton shut out the Indians in the eighth and the Mustangs win claimed the first game of the series.

The second game was all PN-G and was a game to be quickly forgotten as the Indians pasted the Mustangs 17-0 to even the series at a game each setting up the final contest.

Friendswood 9 - Port Neches-Groves 8

Friendswood jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first as Tyler Sullivan smashed a two-run homer.

But PN-G countered with six runs in the top of the second for a 6-2 lead that appeared to start another run-rule game and end the season for the Mustangs.

After PN-G added two more runs in the top of the fourth for an 8-2 advantage.

Friendswood started its comeback in the fourth. Connor Neuman and Michael Goodwin led off with hits before Michael Speck got an RBI groundout.

The next six Friendswood runs came with two outs.

Two PN-G pitchers walked three straight Mustangs, one of which forced in a run. Jordan Gibbs delivered a two-run single to pull Friendswood within two.

An inning later, Speck tied the game with the biggest hit of the night. He took Collin Sweetenham’s slow curveball over the fence for a two-run dinger to knot up the game at 8-8.

PN-G pitcher Austin Stone, who shut out the Mustangs the day before, balked. He came set, started his motion and then stopped — a clear rule infraction.

The blunder came on a 2-2 count with two outs of a tie game. Friendswood had just failed on a safety squeeze — the same play that won Game 1 for the Mustangs in extra innings.

With runners on the corners, Neuman took off from first. The movement distracted and disrupted Stone, who for a brief second hesitated with so much on the line.

After the umpires huddled, they emerged signaling the balk and Singleton ran home from third with the game winning run before a shocked crowd.

It was a play so rare that Friendswood coach Charlie Taylor, who has been in this business for 23 years, never had seen it happen.

“I’ve seen a lot of things,” Taylor said. “But I don’t think I’ve ever seen this.”

Teams who make a deep run in the playoffs need a little luck along the way. There are teams of destiny who look back and pick out a moment or two that kept their drive alive.

Friendswood now must face a tough Brenham squad who will be considered the favorite to win. But stranger things have happened -- even a walk-off balk to win a game and keep the dream of a state championship alive.

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