By Brian Argabright
The 830 Times
Despite finishing below .500 for the tournament, the Del Rio Rams baseball team put up a fight against some of the toughest teams in the region.
The Rams competed this past weekend in the Border Olympics baseball tournament in Laredo, finishing 2-3 including a tough 2-1 loss to eventual gold bracket champions Corpus Christi Ray.
Del Rio 6, Laredo Martin 3
The Rams began their tournament play on Thursday, Feb. 24, with a 6-3 win over Laredo Martin.
Both teams came out of the gate swinging as Martin scored three runs in the top of the first only to see Del Rio score five in the bottom of the first.
Del Rio began its scoring on a Matt Mendez triple that brought home Ricky Limon. Will Cooper followed with a single to right that plated Mendez to make it 3-2 Martin.
After an error allowed Jon Barragan to reach base, Thomas Gambrel hit a ground ball that resulted in another error and allowed Cooper to score to tie the game.
Jonanthony Guerrero brought in the final two runs of the inning with a line drive to center. Barragan and courtesy runner Albert Vargas scored to stake the Rams to a 5-3 lead.
The Rams’ final run came in the bottom of the fifth inning. Pinch runner Luis Monarez scored on a single off the bat of Barragan to give Del Rio a 6-3 lead, which proved to be the final.
Mendez had a pair of hits to lead the Rams offense. Alex Rodriguez, Limon, Cooper, Barragan, Gambrel and Guerrero each had hits as well.
Gambrel earned the win for the Rams, allowing three runs on two hits while walking four. He also struck out four.
Mendez earned the save, walking only one batter in two innings of work.
Corpus Christi Ray 2, Del Rio 1
Ray picked up its first run in the bottom of the first and then added a second run in the bottom of the fifth.
Del Rio’s loan run came in the top of the sixth as Rodriguez and Mendez pulled off a double steal with Rodriguez swiping home for the run.
The Rams managed just two runs, but held Ray to just three hits, but two Del Rio errors helped sink the Rams’ chances.
Rodriguez and Mendez had Del Rio’s hits. Mendez also reached base via a walk, as did Limon.
Rouse Varsity Raiders 22 8, Del Rio 3
Tied at 1-1, Rouse scored seven runs in the next two innings to pull away from Del Rio and hand the Rams an 8-3 loss.
Del Rio scored its first run in the top of the third as Barragan singled and brought in Mendez for a 1-0 lead.
Down 8-1, the Rams added their final two runs in the top of the seventh. Rodriguez singled to bring in Zech Treviño to make it 8-2. Rodriguez would score on a triple off the bat of Cooper to make the final 8-3.
Del Rio had eight hits in the game but also committed three errors. Rodriguez and Cooper each had two hits. Mendez, Barragan, Gambrel and Wilson Smith each had one hit apiece. Caden George drew a pair of walks in the loss.
Del Rio 7, Edinburgh North 1
Down 1-0, the Rams scored seven runs over the next five innings to earn their second win of the tournament, 7-1 over Edinburgh North.
Rodriguez started things off with a triple to lead off the Rams at-bat in the first. Limon followed with a single to tie the game at 1-1. After a ground out, Cooper ripped Del Rio’s second triple of the inning to bring in Limon and make it 2-1. Cooper would eventually score on a wild pitch to make it 3-1.
Del Rio took a 4-1 lead as Aiden Natividad scored on an error off the bat of George.
The lead grew to 5-1 in the third as Barragan, who walked, scored on a passed ball.
In the fifth inning, Mendez scored on a groundout by Barragan to push the lead to 6-1. Gambrel then smacked a singled to bring in Cooper, who singled earlier, to make it 7-1.
The Rams had eight hits as a team. Gambrel was 2-for-3 and Cooper was 2-for-4 while Rodriguez, Limon, Wade Cooper and Natividad each had one hit.
Rodriguez earned the win, allowing one run in seven innings. He allowed five hits and walked just one while striking out six.
Harlingen 7, Del Rio 1
Del Rio’s final game of the tournament was on Saturday and saw Del Rio drop the contest to Harlingen, 7-1.
The Rams took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first as Rodriguez, who reached on an error, scored on a Mendez single to centerfield.
But Harlingen would answer with five runs in the second. They added a run each in the third and fourth innings to cap the scoring.
Del Rio had three hits including Mendez’s RBI single and singles by Gambrel and Guerrero.
The Rams are scheduled to travel to Corpus Christi this weekend to compete in the annual Mira’s High School Baseball Classic beginning Thursday.
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Contact the author at drnhsports@gmail.com
