Grapevine wins 5A State Championship

Grapevine 9

Alamo Heights 2

The “Pony Express” ran up and down the field and put Dallas on the Map. Insert the 2016 Grapevine Mustangs. Same area, same colors, same mascot, and same offense approach. Different game obviously but same approach. Run, Run, and Run some more. Constantly apply the pressure on the defense and make them execute plays. Make sure it is the hardest 21 outs for the opposing defense as possible. Strategy proved to work again for the Mustangs as they captured the 2016 State Championship with a win over Alamo Heights 9-2.

THSB has talked about Grapevines stats for some time now. Especially Runs Scored vs Runs Scored Against. In the State Final it was the same song and dance for the Mustangs. Score a lot give up a little. Connor Nueman started off the game by drawing a leadoff  walk followed by Ty Jones reaching on a HBP. Here comes the pressure, Kyle Flamm who by the way was 3-3 the night before lays down a bunt down the 3rd base line that results in a throwing error by Alamo Heights starter Jack Woodland and Nueman comes around from second to score the first run on the game. Joseph Leal gets a RBI single followed by 2 errors by the Mule Infield and when all was said and done it was 5-0 Grapevine. The mustangs sent the entire order to the plate, had 1 hit, and chased the starter Woodland after 18 pitches.

Now marching out to the mound requires confidence but with a 5 run cushion in the top of the 1st to say Connor Neuman was confident is an understatement. The junior cruised though the first 5 innings without ever facing more than 4 batters an inning. Neuman was not dominant in “headline” fashion, he didn’t throw a no hitter, he didn’t have a very high number of strikeouts, but he dominated the game in a much better fashion. A bit like his offense he applied the pressure on opposing hitters. He pitched with pace and was extremely efficient. He started off 20 of 29 batters with first pitch strikes and thru the first 5 innings he averaged 11 pitches an inning.

Perhaps the stolen bases from the Semi Final were still in the Mules ear because pickoff attempts were at the top of the list for Heights pitchers. In the 3rd after a nice drag but by Joseph Leal, Mules pitcher Morgan Dawley threw over 9 times during one at bat. After the 9th failed attempt the next pitch hit James Wyche. Same thing in the 4th, after a Nueman single, Dawley threw over twice and hit Ty Jones with the next pitcher. Now with two runners on Kyle Flamm launched a 2 run double bringing in two runs to put Grapevine ahead 7-0. In all Alamo Heights attempted 16 pick offs and converted 1 in the 6th Inning.

Alamo Heights did not go down without a fight putting together 4 hits in the 6th inning to score 2 runs. Parker Taylor lead it off with a double followed by hits by Morgan Dawley, Michael Kelleher, and Ronald Sandusky. That was a far as the Mules would get with Neuman who can back in the bottom of the seventh and did what he had been doing all night. 12 pitches vs 3 batters to capture the 5A State Title.