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China Spring outfielder Braxton Bowers sprints to first base while Kolby Killough scores in the third inning as La Vega pitcher Ivan Hernandez runs to cover home. The Cougars defeated La Vega, 17-2, on Tuesday night.
China Spring second baseman Jase Garrett eyes La Vega's Ivan Hernandez before tagging him out on a stolen-base attempt in the third inning.
China Spring starting pitcher Brenan Daniel delivers against La Vega on Tuesday night.
The No. 7-ranked China Spring baseball team puts a lot of pressure on its District 18-4A opponents.
Facing La Vega in a mid-week matchup, the Cougars played efficient ball, kept tacking on runs and eventually erupted for a 17-2 victory on Tuesday night on the Pirates’ home field.
Eight different China Spring players drove in runs and Cougars starting pitcher Brenan Daniel held back the La Vega lineup. In doing so, China Spring boosted its record to 16-6 and 4-0 in district play as it approaches the end of the first round of 18-4A action.
Daniel gave up two runs on two runs on six hits in his six innings of work. He was especially effective in the third through fifth innings as struck out four in a row at one point and tossed a total of 25 pitches in those frames.
“It’s kind of how he’s been all year,” China Spring coach Jesse Lopez said. “He throws everything for a strike and gets ahead and that kind of stuff. He’s just a smooth kid, gets up there and does his thing.”
China Spring got its offense going from the start, scoring in the first three innings.
Cougars catcher Brayden Faulkner walked with one out in the first and stole second with two outs. Trace Necessary brought Faulkner home with a ground-rule double that bounced over the fence in left.
Necessary spent the whole game attacking left field. In the top of the fourth he smashed a hooking fly ball that seemed to sail over the top of the foul pole on the third-base line. The home plate umpire called it foul and Necessary eventually struck out swinging.
But he got it back in his next at bat. In the sixth, Necessary drilled another shot to left that left no doubt, clearing the fence over the head of La Vega leftfielder Cayden White. Necessary’s homer gave China Spring a 10-0 lead.
Cougars’ No. 9-hole hitter Dean Hannah drove the ball on a regular basis as well as he went three for four with three doubles and three RBIs.
Lopez was happy with the production he got throughout the lineup.
“It was good that we didn’t have a lot of pop ups or any silly at bats,” Lopez said. “We’re trying to hit the gaps for sure. The kids have worked really hard in practice at hitting line drives, keeping the ball out of the air.”
La Vega got on the scoreboard with a couple of runs in the bottom of the sixth, sparked by an extra-base hit by catcher Nik Sanders.
With one out and a possible run-rule loss looming, Sanders pulled a shot that kicked up chalk as it hit the third-base line in the outfield. He scurried around for a triple, then scored on Adan Garcia’s single up the middle.
Pirates third baseman Aiden Valenzuela added a run-scoring single to right that plated Angel Martinez later in the at-bat.
But Daniel induced a ground out to end the inning and China Spring went to the final frame with a 10-2 lead.
“They’re so good from one through nine,” La Vega coach Scott Blassingame said. “You’ve got to be flawless to give yourself a chance against them.”
The Cougars batted around in the top of the seventh, adding seven runs. China Spring relief pitcher Marcus Rosales came on to clean up the bottom of the seventh. He walked one and struck out two, including the final batter of the night.
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China Spring outfielder Braxton Bowers sprints to first base while Kolby Killough scores in the third inning as La Vega pitcher Ivan Hernandez runs to cover home. The Cougars defeated La Vega, 17-2, on Tuesday night.
China Spring second baseman Jase Garrett eyes La Vega's Ivan Hernandez before tagging him out on a stolen-base attempt in the third inning.
China Spring starting pitcher Brenan Daniel delivers against La Vega on Tuesday night.
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