Apaches handle clash with Titans

The mark of a good team is the ability to put away an opponent when you have the opportunity. While they are still a work in progress, the Tribe responded when it needed to and bullied their way to a 13-3 run-rule victory over Manor New Tech on Tuesday night at T.E. Burrows Field.

“We just gotta continue to get better,” said Coach Beaux Gipson. “We’re not where we want to be. A win’s a great thing, but we still gotta continue to work every day.”

The Apaches (8-5) handed the ball to their senior starter Carson Gaytan who came within one out of a complete game, having to exit due to a pitch-count limit. Gaytan showed his dominance early in the game, recording strikeouts on five of the first six outs recorded. He would finish the night with 10 punchouts.

“He was on,” said Gipson. “Kinda got a little sluggish in the middle {innings] and wasn’t finishing his pitches like we wanted him to, but he kept going...and it seemed like he got stronger as the game went along.”

The Tribe had traffic on the basepaths all night, pounding out 10 hits – most of them in the later innings. It was the patience at the plate that proved to be the key, as Gonzales had a dozen batters reach base via the free pass – 11 walks and one hit batter.

“The whole game could be, basically, spelled out by that first at-bat by Mucho [Joe Canales],” said Gipson. “It was a long at-bat, fouling off everything and getting the pitch count up. I think the guys did really well [at the plate].”

After loading the bases but coming up empty-handed in the first, the Apaches finally broke through in the bottom of the second. After three walks loaded up the bases, a sacrifice groundout by Canales, a wild pitch and a ringing double to right field by Jared Cook plated three runs. Two more crossed the plate in the third inning, courtesy of an error and another hit by Cook.

The Titans finally got to Gaytan in the top of the fourth, as the first five hitters reached base, via four singles and a hit batter. Gaytan righted the ship, but New Tech was able to plate three in the inning before the Apaches could escape.

The Titans made a pitching change in the fifth inning and the Apache bats finally came to life, as they pounded out seven hits, including three doubles, to plate six runs in the bottom of the fifth, and two more in the bottom of the sixth, to end the game early and send the home fans home happy. Jarren Johnson had the walk-off hit with a two-run double to right center.

Gaytan worked 5²/₃ innings to earn the victory. He surrendered three runs on eight hits and struck out 10 Titan batters. Johnson came on to pick up the final out in the sixth.

Cook led the way at the plate, going 3-for-4 with three doubles, two runs scored and two driven in. Johnson also had a multi-hit game, going 2-for-3 with two doubles, a run scored and two RBI. Gaytan, Canales, T.J. Riojas, Brady Barfield and Kason Tieken also recorded a hit in the game.

The Tribe is back in action on Friday, continuing their long homestand, when they take on Brentwood Christian Academy out of Austin. The Bears will enter the contest with an undefeated 10-0-1 record. “I didn’t want to come into this year and take things for granted. I wanted to schedule some good competition. I know they’re going to give us a challenge and it’s up to us to meet that challenge...and handle things like we’re supposed to.”