Eagles defeat rival in quarterfinal

The Ropes Eagles won the UIL High School Regional Baseball Quarterfinal Championship over the cross county and district rival Sundown Roughnecks with a forfeit in game one and a 6-1 win in game two.

In game one, the UIL State Executive Committee determined that Sundown had used an ineligible pitcher and forfeited their win.

Game two opened with Jeffrey Rodrigues on the mound for the Roughnecks and Mason Marmolejo leading off for Ropes.

Marmolejo hit a single to short right field, followed by Garrett Gilliam who grounded into a fielder’s choice, but Marmolejo was able to beat the throw.

A single to left field from Braxxin Partington brought Marmolejo home and Gilliam to second base.

Logan Delgado and Kade Franklin both hit fly balls into foul territory that were picked off.

Hayden Torres brought two runs in with a single, then Brady Bryan hit a single and Branson Beck was hit by a pitch to load the bases with two outs.

Torres got the final run, scoring on a passed ball before Bode Franklin grounded out to strand two, but the Eagles led 4-0. Ropes made the score 5-0 in the top of the fourth inning with one out.

Braxxin Partington grounded into fielder’s choice with runners at the corners, bringing Bode Franklin home from third base.

The seventh inning saw the Eagles put up an insurance run on a two out single from Torres that brought Colton Mortensen home from third base for a 6-0 lead.

Sundown put runners on first and second with a dropped third strike to Rayden Flores followed by a walk to Jaryn Flores, bringing Koy Torres to the plate with one out.

Jaryn Flores was caught off base in a rundown by Delgado and Marmolejo that allowed Rayden Flores to steal home.

Torres grounded out on the next pitch in a 4-3 from second baseman Hayden Torres to first baseman Delgado.

Hayden Torres went six innings, allowing three hits with 13 strikeouts and two walks. Bode Frankling gave us one run with a strikeout and two walks in an inning of relief.

Marmolejo had a run and a hit. Gilliam had a run. Partington had a run, a hit and two RBIs. Torres had a run, two hits and an RBI. Bryan had a hit and an RBI. Bode Franklin had a run and a hit.

Rodrigues went all seven innings for Sundown. He allowed six runs on seven this with a strikeout.

Jayson Martinez had a hit. Torres had two hits. Rayden Flores had a run.

The Eagles move on. Opponent, time and location will be announced.