Walk-off error on double play attempt allows Mustangs to outlast the Raiders
By Michael Adams
madams@austinsportsjournall.com
ROUND ROCK –Rouse was minutes from defeating Grapevine Thursday and advancing to the first baseball state championship game in school history.
Within seconds, it all fell apart.
Clinging to a 1-0 lead with one out in the bottom of the seventh, a routine double play turned into disaster for Rouse.
An error on Rayner Heinrich’s throw to first on the tail end of a double play was just wide of the glove of first baseman Oscar Salazar, allowing the Mustangs (39-5) to plate the tying and game-winning run to defeat the Raiders 2-1 in a Class 5A semifinal at Dell Diamond in Round Rock.
“Our guys battled and went toe-to-toe with the No. 1 team in the state,” said Rouse head coach Chad Krempin. “I thought we had them, but that’s baseball sometimes.”
The unfortunate part is that the game’s final play overshadowed what were pristine pitching performances from Grapevine’s Dasan HIll, a Dallas Baptist signee, and Rouse’s Gavin Silva, who gave up two hits each.
Rouse (34-10-1) got its first hit in the top of the third inning on a single by Nathan Miller. Two batters later, an error allowed Miller to reach third and Adrian Graves to move to second. However, both runners were stranded as Hill struck out the final two batters.
The Raiders again put runners in scoring position in the top of the fourth, but Hill struck out the final batter. That was the them for the the next two innings as Rouse left a total eight runners on base. Hill had 10 strikeouts for the game.
“We had our chances and struck out in some key moments,” Krempin said. “It wasn’t for a lack of trying. (HIll)”s a potential first day draft pick and our guys did the best they could.”
With the score deadlocked at zero, it was Rouse who took advantage of errors.
With one out in the top of the seventh inning, Trey Espinoza reached first base on a throwing error by Grapevine third baseman Ryan Williams, advancing him to second,. However, a second throwing error on the same play advanced Espinoza to third and home to give the Raiders a 1-0 lead.
Then it all fell apart.
With the bases loaded, Grapevine’s Brenton Lee hit a grounder to shortstop Jacob Soliz, who got the the force out at second. However, the relay throw to first base resulted in an error that allowed Gianni Corral and Brady Boozer to score and give Grapevine the walk-off win.
The Mustangs will face Lucas Lovejoy in the 5A championship game on Saturday.