Newly christened Eagle ace Tony Galvan pitched an absolute gem of a game holding off a highly potent Carroll offense when he needed to and his Eagle defense played flawlessly to insure the 2-1 win which sends the Eagles to the Region IV Championship, one game away from the hallowed ground of the elusive State Championship.
If Kevin Chisum's two circus catches against perennial powerhouse Mission Sharyland were keys to the Eagles advancing this far, there was no bigger defensive play than Isaac Ramirez' amazing catch at the warning track on the final play of the game on Friday catapulting Galvan and the Eagles to the Region IV final.
This is how it all went down at the Spring Sports Complex on Friday.
Galvan was up against Rene Piñeda who had not lost and had only given up six runs all season with an incredible slider and a crisp 85 MPH fastball. The Tigers (33-4) had outscored their opponents 200-40 with ten shutouts as the #1 team in District 28-AAAAA.
But Tony Galvan was masterful all evening painting the corners and confounding the Tiger batters with an impeccable change up and an arsenal of off-speed pitches which teams like Carroll, O'Connor and SA Reagan are not used to seeing.
The Tigers showed why they are the state's #1 team as their leadoff hitter hit a ground ball to short, showing blazing speed to beat out the throw. A stolen base put a runner on second with no out which was followed by a bunt single down the third base line which put runners on first and third.
The third hitter grounded into a 6-4-3 double play which allowed a run to score, 1-0 Carroll after one complete.
In the third inning with two out, Kevin Chisum had a great at-bat fouling off Piñeda's pitches and getting on with a 12-pitch base on balls. Chisum stole second base and big 1-9 Eric Gonzalez came through once again with an RBI single to tie the game 1-1.
Then in the top of the fourth inning, Eagle catcher Diego Gaona made his presence felt as the big bat that he has been for the Eagles by ripping an aggressive first pitch double to left center arousing a reaction from the hundreds of Eagle fans in the stands. Piñeda bore down and got two big outs on Mando Lopez and Isaac Ramirez before designated hitter Carlos Barrera continued his clutch hitting performance in these playoffs with a first-pitch double of his own to right center plating Gaona with what would be the game-winning run!
It came down to the final innings and in the sixth, Alex Martinez made a great catch in foul territory for out #1. Then Michael Bergman, the Tigers most dangerous hitter with a .445 average hit a fly to Isaac Ramirez in right. Galvan held
Bergman 0 for 3 in this game. The next batter flied out to Eric Gonzalez to end the inning.
Then the 6,7 and 8 hitters came up in the top of the seventh for the Eagles and Barrera came through again with a base hit up the middle and pinch runner Ferny Garza came in to run. Alex Martinez came in to bunt him over and would've gotten on if his second attempt stayed fair, but with a 2-2 count, he bunted foul for the Piñeda's seventh strikeout. Garza stole second and went to third on a passed ball but some miscommunication caused the Eagles to botch a squeeze attempt and the Tiger catcher threw Garza out at third. Piñeda got Jacoup Roiz swinging to end the inning, and it was down to three outs for Galvan and Reynol Mendoza's Eagles.
Isaiah Linebarger flied out to Chisum in center, then Galvan froze the next hitter on a 2-2 count to notch a backwards K for out number two, then Ryan Benavides stepped in for Carroll and proceeded to cause the entire crowd to gasp sending a shot to right, all the way to the warning track where Isaac Ramirez made an amazing over the shoulder boulder holder basket catch sending the Eagles to the Region IV Championship and the crowd went wild!
Cue the Gatorade bath for Head Coach Reynol Mendoza as he and his staff of Heriberto Roiz and Henry Silva accompanied the team in the celebration at second base, and what a celebration it turned out to be as they would now await the winner of the Reagan Rattler and District 29-AAAAA mates the Laredo Alexander Bulldogs.
Galvan threw a complete game, four hit, one run game with only one base on balls and Piñeda went the distance with 8 K's and one walk.
Eric Gonzalez was 1 for 3 as was Gaona and Mando Lopez who got a base hit in the sixth and Carlos Barrera went 2 for 3 for the Eagles.
The Eagles will face SA Reagan, in a one game winner take all playoff, the big dukeroo, mano a mano for all the marbles and the right to represent Region IV at the State Tournament. It all goes down at Veteran's Stadium in Laredo on Friday night at 7:30. Wear your Burnt Orange and White proudly, be there, be early, but by all means BE LOUD!!! Let's do this.