Eight pitchers used in a six-inning contest that lasted 2 hours and 53 minutes. Total runs: 22. Total hits: 24. Each team batted around in an inning once and, in all, 39 players reached base as every starter for both teams reached safely at least once.
But every player for the fourth-ranked Eagles of Rogers also scored as they run-ruled No. 9 Salado 16-6 on Tuesday night in a District 25-2A baseball game and a matchup of the last two Class 2A state champions.
“We got some breaks and capitalized on some opportunities,” Rogers first-year coach Keith Klaus said. “Whether we win by one run or by 10 it’s a good win.”
It wasn’t as easy as the final score made it out to be for Rogers (12-2, 4-0), which scored three runs in the top of the second, only to see Salado counter with four in the bottom of the inning.
In that inning, Salado’s Tyler Coker doubled in Colt Norman and after a single by Bubba Luna, Hunter Ward singled in Coker. Three batters later, Garret Ward knocked them both in for the 4-3 lead as Salado sent 10 batters to the plate in that inning.
“I was really proud of the way our young team came back to rally for four runs in one inning against a pitcher like that,” Salado coach Melvin Bates said. “(Junior Greg) Mendoza is a super pitcher and they have a great team.”
But the rally showed that despite starting mostly sophomores after winning the 2A state title last year, Salado (10-6, 1-2) wasn’t going to be intimidated.
But Rogers, the 2007 state champion, wasn’t too worried about the deficit.
In the fourth, Rogers’ bats came alive. After a flyout to start the inning, the Eagles had eight consecutive batters reach and all scored, highlighted by a two-run double by Mendoza. Travis Perkins added an RBI triple as the 11th player to bat in the inning, and he added the final run in the nine-run inning on a single by Stephen Hines.
“We’ve been hitting the ball well all year,” Klaus said. “We did a good job of working the count and getting fastballs when we wanted them and moving runners when we needed to.
“I told the kids when I got here, ‘If you are in our lineup, you have to be able to hit. And if you can hit, we’ll find a place for you.’ I think the kids have responded and work hard and doing those things is paying off.”
Salado scored two runs in the bottom of the inning, but Rogers added two in each of the fifth and sixth innings and shut down Salado the rest of the way.
“Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose,” Bates added. “And sometimes you get your tails kicked.”
Because it’s only the third district game, Bates knows that essentially getting his tail kicked in this game doesn’t mean too much, but it did help his Eagles realize how close they are to the top and how far they still have to go.
“I definitely agree with them being the fourth-ranked team - they are real strong,” Bates said. “We are replacing a lot of guys and right now we are not the No. 9 team. We have a lot of talent. It’s young talent and if we can grow up we can be, but right now we are not."
mhood@temple-telegram.com
