5A State Semi Finals – Leander Rouse v Grapevine

 admin  |    Jun 7th, 2024

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The sun started to drop behind the stands providing a little shade.  The crowd was a little larger than previous games.  The Leander Rouse battery consisted of Gavin Silva and Xander Forsell.  Grapevine would start Dasan Hill with Gianni Corral receiving the pitches.

Leander Rouse went down quickly in the top of the first.  Three ground balls translated to three outs.  Grapevine would go down in order too.  Two ground balls and a fly out.  Dasan Hill changed it up a little and started the second inning with two strikeouts then a groundout.  Gavin Silva thought strikeout the leadoff batter was a good approach.  Lale Esquival didn’t want to be the next strikeout victim, so he walked.  Giving fans their first base runner of the night.  He wouldn’t get past first.  A popout to short and Esquival’s second strikeout of the inning ends the inning.

The first hit of the evening would be Nathan Miller to lead off the 3^rd.  Conner Thompson came in to run for him.  A sac bunt and an error later, runners were on the corners.  Hill would strike out the next 2 batters to end any threat. With one out in the bottom of the 3^rd, Brenton Lee walked.   With two outs, he stole second.  Peyton Tatum would then walk.  A ground ball to shortstop Jacob Soliz ends the inning.

Leander Rouse’s Nathan Miller walked with one out in the top of the fourth inning.  He stole second.  With two outs he takes third on a ball in the dirt than Gianni Corral can’t locate.  A hit by pitch put Andrew Sanchez on first. Miller stayed at third.  A strikeout by Hill ended the inning.  Ryan Williams led off with  a single.  Esquival popped out to short.  Corral grounded out but moved Williams to second.  Silva ends the inning with a strikeout.

Despite a 2 out hit by pitch, Dasan Hill continued to be efficient in the top of the 5^th and so did Gavin Silva.  It was three up, three down for Silva in the bottom of the 5^th.  Consecutive walks put runners on 1^st first and second with no outs for Leander Rouse.  An infield single by Sanchez and everyone is safe.  Nathan Miller struck out as did Jacob Soliz.  Leander Rouse stranded three runners.  Grapevine went down quickly in the bottom of the 6^th – ground out, strikeout, strikeout.

Luke Schreyer came in to pitch for Grapevine.  He got two quick outs.  What appeared to be an easy play for out number three ended up in a throwing error on the third baseman that was compounded by another throwing error by the first baseman.  Tyler Espinoza scored to give Leander Rouse a 1-0 lead.

A fly out to center field would be followed by two walks.  A passed ball put runners on 2 and 3.  An infield single loads the bases for Brenton Lee.  Good things happen when you put the ball in play.  What appeared to be a double play ended up being an out at second and an error.  Two runs scored.  Ballgame.

WP – Schreyer
LP –  Silva

Player of the Game:  Brenton Lee

Score by Innings	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	R	H	E
Leander Rouse	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	2	1
Grapevine	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	2	2	3