Galvan was in trouble several times during the opening frames, but his teammates had his back with Kevin Chisum and big 1-9 Eric Gonzalez coming through in the clutch to save the day for the Eagles.
Montemayor had a perfect game going, not throwing more than eleven pitches per inning to get the Eagles out, no hits, no walks and no errors through four and two thirds until Carlos Barrera worked him for a two out walk.
Olexis Gutierrez was brought in to pinch run and was thrown out stealing by the amazing arm of Layton Leon who got him with two steps to spare to end the inning.
Galvan continued to work his mastery keeping the Rattlers at bay, cold as ice delivering impeccable change ups and an absolutely amazing screw ball that had Reagan batters reeling.
Then in the sixth inning, Jacoup Roiz gets the first hit of the game with Kevin Chisum batting and one out. Chisum showed bunt but let it go and Roiz was off, but Leon got him too on a precision throw. Montemayor got Chisum and it would be up to Galvan again to get us out of the sixth.
The Rattlers loaded up the bases with two outs and a fly ball to center had the hundreds of Eagle faithful in the stands screaming at the top of their lungs as our cheerleaders yelled in chorus "Eagles! Eagles! Eagles!"
Eric Gonzalez, with Troy Van Burnt in the press box telling this reporter that he has incredible bat control and may have brought Roiz in the previous inning, proceeded to take an outside pitch from Montemayor and shoot it through the shift for a leadoff base hit. RJ Ruiz was threatening to bunt, but was unable to lay it down and with two strikes he hit a ground ball to the shortstop who mishandled it and didn't get anyone.
Two on with no out and the Eagles were in business with Diego Gaona coming to bat.
Gaona also looked to advance the runners with a sacrifice, but he too was unable to connect and hit a two strike pitch to third baseman Cade Bormet who chose not to tag Gonzalez gong to third, but to start the 5-4-3 double play when second baseman Andrew Garza fielded the throw, but was taken out by Ruiz causing an errant throw and the Eagles were on the scoreboard first as Gonzalez scored.
Big Mando Lopez pasted a Montemayor delivery which looked like it was going to be a gapper, but Warhurst proceeded to run it down. A great play on a well hit ball.
Isaac Ramirez grounded out to Sosa and the Eagles were three outs from a State Tournament berth.
The rattlers brought in a pinch hitter in the nine hole who hit a shot to left center which was beautifully run down by our all-world center fielder Chisum. Kevin got a perfect jump on the ball and it fell into his glove like a feather. Super smooth and the Eagles were two outs from going to state. The crowd went absolutely wild and you could almost taste it.
The radio broadcaster from TSRN Radio in the pressbox said it himself, we were on the cusp of greatness Eagle Pass hadn't experienced in 18 years, the gentleman manning the scoreboard even told this reporter they better make the team a pep rally to pump them up for the State run when leadoff hitter Zack Morrow leaned into a Galvan delivery and took his base.
Eagle Manager Reynol Mendoza came out and appealed to the home plate umpire that Morrow made no attempt to avoid getting hi to no avail then Jack Thompson gets a base hit and the Rattlers are threatening with one out and their best hitter Ben Brookover in the box.
Galvan had struck out Brookover in his previous at bat looking at a change, but this time he hit a shot into the gap for a one-out double plating Morrow and the game was tied 1 all.
What no one in the stands counted on was for what happened next. Mendoza walked Drew Brooks loading the bases for freshman third baseman Cade Bormet to face Diego Gaona who came on in relief, Mendoza called everyone in to get Thompson at home, but Bormet took a low inside fast ball and almost knocked it out of Veterans plating the winning run.
The Eagles came through with another amazing performance in this Region IV Championship further establishing that when it comes to baseball Eagle Pass means business.
Congratulations to the entire Eagle squad and their caching staff, administration, student body and boosters on a fantastic run and thanks to all the fans that made the trip to support our team.