Brazoswood Baseball: 2008 Varsity

Courtesy of The Facts: Home was sweet for the Brazoswood Buccaneers as they opened their Class 5A Region III quarterfinal series with a 7-1 victory over the Alvin Yellowjackets at Wilson Field on Thursday night.

The Bucs (25-12) will try to close out the series at 8 p.m. today at Nolan Ryan Field in Alvin.

The home-field advantage definitely helped Brazoswood as the Bucs played mistake-free baseball while Alvin (30-5) was shaky defensively, especially early. The Yellowjackets committed four errors in the game, two of those came in the second inning when the Bucs took a 2-0 lead.

The early support helped Brazoswood starter Anthony McIntyre settle in as he pitched the first five innings of the game. McIntyre allowed one run on six hits as he struckout three and walked four.

Tyler Green pitched the final two innings and got the save. He threw two hitless innings in relief and struck out three.

In the second, Green led off the inning with a single and moved to third when a pickoff throw by Alvin starter Travis Jenkins went down the right field line. Joey Bacica laid down a squeeze bunt to get Green home. On the play, the throw to first to get Bacica went down the right field line to put him on second.

Derek Hamilton followed with a double down the third base line to score Bacica and give the Bucs a two-run edge.

The Bucs broke the game open in the fourth with four runs. The big blow of the inning was a three-run homer by Andrew Garner over the right-centerfield fence to put Brazoswood up 6-0.

Courtesy runner Troy Deska and Harrison Faickney scored ahead of Garner.

Faickney drove in the first run of the inning when he singled in pinch runner Ricky Ramos, who was running for Cody Williams. It was one of three straight hits by the Bucs to lead off the inning. Williams and Sammy Knox singled ahead of Faickney.

Alvin scored its only run of the game in the top of the fifth. With one out, Ryan Nolen picked up an infield hit and moved around to third on a double by Travis Snider. Moe Gusto followed with a single to score Nolen.

Bacica got the run back in the bottom of the fifth when he led off the inning with a solo homer over the left field fence off Alvin reliever Aaron Stewart.

Jenkins pitched the first three innings for the Yellowjackets. He left the game with nobody out in the fourth.

Courtesy of The Facts: The Brazoswood Buccaneers put together a four-run fifth inning and thwarted a late rally by the Pasadena Memorial Mavericks, holding onto a 6-5 playoff win Thursday at Clear Brook High School.

Brazoswood third baseman Ben Coram blasted a two-run homer to spark a four-run fifth inning and relief pitcher Andrew Garner shut down the Mavericks for the final 1 1/3 innings of the Class 5A Region III area round series opener.

Brazoswood entered the fifth inning with a slim 2-1 advantage, but sent eight batters to the plate in the frame that featured a pair of two-RBI hits.

First, Coram smacked a towering shot over the center field wall that scored Harrison Faickney, who led off the frame with a walk. Then, after a Tyler Green single and Jake Gonzalez walk, Joey Bacica doubled to left field to score both runners and make it a 6-1 Buc advantage.

The Mavericks responded in the top of the sixth with four runs on a RBI double from Dylan Adamek and a two-run double by Derek Bussa, and added another run on a wild pitch.

Brazoswood got on board early when Garner laid a perfect bunt down the first-base line to score Coram from third base on the squeeze play.

The Bucs added another run in the second thanks to a pair of Memorial miscues.

No. 9 hitter Sammy Knox struck out swinging with two outs, but the ball deflected off the catcher and Knox beat the throw to first to extend the inning. Troy Deska came in as a pinch-runner. Faickney then sliced a single to left center field. Deska rounded second toward third, and the throw from center field was errant and rolled into the Memorial dugout. Deska was awarded the extra base on the error and scored to make it 2-0.

Courtesy of The Facts:  Walking Off in Style

Ben Coram hit two solo home runs for Brazoswood on Saturday — his final assured the Buccaneers would move another round deeper in the playoffs.

Coram led off the bottom of the seventh inning with a walk-off homer to lift Brazoswood to a 6-5 win over the Pasadena Memorial Mavericks at Clear Brook High School in Game 3 of the Class 5A Region III area round series.

“I was looking for a fastball in and that’s exactly where he threw it,” Coram said. “We played our hearts out. It feels great.”

It was the junior’s second longball of the game. He had another solo shot in the second inning that put the Buccaneers (24-12) ahead 5-0.

“It was a big-time swing,” Brazoswood coach Bobby Williams said of the game-winner. “These kids ball hard. I’m extremely proud of them.”

Coram’s last-inning heroics came on the heels of Buccaneer sophomore pitcher Tyler Green’s biggest strikeout of the game.

Memorial (20-10) trailed 5-0 after two innings, but roared back with three runs in the fourth and added two more in the sixth to tie the game. The Mavericks threatened to take their first lead in the top of the seventh when second baseman Casey Cooner doubled with one out and moved to third on a ground-out.

Memorial slugger Jacob Johnson came to bat next. Green, who pitched all seven innings, got the designated hitter to swing and miss to end the inning for his seventh strikeout of the game.

“That was big-time,” Williams said. “They score that run right there and the attitude changes, the karma changes and all kind of stuff changes. Going into the seventh needing to score one run to win it is a whole lot easier than going in needing one just to tie.”

Green was mobbed by his teammates after the inning. That momentum carried into Coram’s at-bat to start the bottom of the seventh.

“That strikeout was outstanding, the biggest part of the game. What a great job by Tyler Green.” Coram said. “The sophomore surprised us all. He’s got a lot of heart and that’s what you need to win. We’re young but we can play.

“That (strikeout) gave us all the motivation we needed when we came to bat, and I got the pitch just where I like it.”

As soon as the ball blasted off Coram’s bat, he knew the game was over.

Green injured his shoulder in last week’s playoff series against Kempner, went through rehabilitation and the coaching staff was unsure if he could pitch Game 3 Saturday. After a throwing session Friday he was cleared to play and then put together a standout effort against Memorial. In seven innings, Green allowed five runs on seven hits with seven strikeouts and just one walk.

The Buccaneers batted around in the first inning and scored four times on five hits. Andrew Garner had an RBI single in the frame, and Green smacked a two-run homer to make it 3-0. Cody Williams added a two-out RBI single to put Brazoswood up, 4-0.

Coram’s first solo shot of the game in the second inning made it 5-0. He went 3-for-4 with two RBI and three runs.

Brazoswood moves on to face District 24-5A rival Alvin next week in the regional quarterfinals. The Yellowjackets swept Atascocita in two games in their area round. Game sites and times will be determined by early next week.

Alvin beat Brazoswood twice during district play this season in tight contests. The Yellowjackets won the first meeting, 6-5, with a run in the bottom of the seventh and edged the Buccaneers, 10-7, in eight innings after Brazoswood forced the extra frame with a pair of runs in the bottom of the seventh.

From The Facts: The Brazoswood Bucs can beat opponents with pitching. They can beat a foe with hitting. On Saturday, they did both.

The Bucs used a brilliant pitching performance from Anthony McIntyre in the first game and a bruising offense in the second to sweep a doubleheader against the Kempner Cougars and clinch a berth in the area round of the Class 5A baseball playoffs.

In the nightcap, Brazoswood leapt out to a 4-1 lead after Sammy Knox drove in Cody Williams on a base hit in the top of the third. In the next inning, Tyler Green blasted a double to the left-field wall, driving in Andrew Garner from first base. Two batters later, Green himself scored on Derek Hamilton’s sacrifice fly. Jake Gonzalez added another run on a passed ball by Kempner catcher Jake Charlez, his second of the inning.

But Kempner stormed back, scoring two in the bottom of the fourth. The Cougars’ Mason Niko slammed a double into the outfield wall, scoring Jarod Fuller and John Pistone. An inning later, Kyle Von Tungeln belted a solo homer and Charlez drove in Markus Carr, who was pinch running for Kyle Winkler, to give the Cougars a one-run lead.

The Bucs’ bats came alive again in the sixth. Gonzalez scampered across home plate after a wild pitch by Kempner pitcher Von Tungeln to tie the game. Then, Joey Bacica and Hamilton scored on a squeeze play and a Knox single, respectively, to give the Bucs a 7-5 lead.

Von Tungeln added a solo home run, his second of the game, to cut the lead to a run. But Garner retired the Kempner batters in the sixth and seventh innings to end the game and the series.

In the first game, McIntyre pitched a complete-game three-hitter, shackling the Kempner offense for a 3-0 victory.

McIntyre faced only 27 batters in the shutout, nibbling at the corners to strike out eight.

The Cougars, meanwhile, couldn’t take advantage of a solid performance from pitcher Creighton Hoke, who gave up two runs on four hits in 4 1/3 innings and took the loss.

The Bucs struck early. Hoke plunked leadoff man Harrison Faickney, who took off to third base after a Hoke and first baseman Kyle Winkler misconnected on a pickoff throw for a two-base error.

Third baseman Ben Coram gave the Bucs their first lead of the game, jacking a double off the wall in left center field and sending Faickney home.

Brazoswood struck again in the bottom of the fourth when center fielder Jake Gonzalez zapped a line drive down the third base line for a double with one out. Two batters later, McIntyre helped his own cause, driving in Gonzalez with a two-out single for a 2-0.

But McIntyre’s brilliant outing almost came apart in the top of the sixth. The junior hurler began leaving his pitches high and walked Kempner pinch hitter Von Tungeln, who stole second to move into scoring position. After striking out second baseman John Matula, McIntyre found himself in a bind as Von Tugeln advanced to third and Winkler safely reached first.  But with runners on the corners, McIntyre snuffed out the threat, getting Hoke to line out to the shortstop and striking out center fielder Jordan Fuller to end the inning.

On Saturday, April 19, the Brazoswood Buccaneers hosted the Spring Westfield Mustangs.  The Buc pitchers dominated the game from the very start.  Colton Lindloff started and threw 3 innings of 1 hit baseball, Anthony McIntyre followed with 2 innings of 1 hit ball and then Jason Cuellar and Will Bedell closed the game out with 2 innings of no-hit ball.  Even though the Buc bats  were not overpowering, they did manage to put one perfectly executed inning together for the win.   The bottom of the 7^th started with a sharp single by Tanner Ritchey.  Running for Tanner, Justin Hamilton moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Adrian Hogan.  Troy Deska delivered the game winner with a single to left.  This runs the Bucs record to 19-9 on the year.  They return to district play Tuesday at Pearland.

The Buccaneers traveled to Clear Lake on Tuesday, April 15^th and lost a hard fought contest to the Falcons by the score of 6-5.  Clear Lake took the early lead 2-0 in the 3^rd inning.   The Bucs came right back in the 4^th inning to tie the game on a solo home run by Ben Coram and a double by Joey Bacica.  In the 5^th inning Coram again drove in runs with a 2 run single.  The Falcons answered the Bucs by scoring 3 in the 5^th.   Cody Williams tied the game for the Bucs in the 6^th with an rbi single.  The Falcons won the game in the bottom of the 7^th with a run.  The winning pitcher was Alan Costanzi and the losing pitcher was Tyler Green.  This puts the Bucs record at 7-3 in district.
 

Game summary courtesy of THE FACTS Area Roundup

The Bucs used a four-run fourth inning to defeat the Wolverines 5-0 Friday night at Wilson Field in District 24-5A play.  Brazoswood (18-9 overall, 7-2 district) is tied for the district lead with Clear Lake. 

The Bucs put together five hits in the fourth inning.  Harrison Faickney, Andrew Garner and Tyler Green each had a double, Ben Coram got a triple and Joey Bacica reached on a single as Brazoswood took a 4-0 lead.  The Bucs' final run came in the sixth as Green connected on a solo shot.

Colton Lindloff threw a complete game four-hitter with 14 strikeouts and one walk.

Tuesday, April 8^th, the Buccaneers sailed to Galveston to take on the Galveston Ball Tornadoes.   The Bucs slammed into the Island like a Category 5 Hurricane as they pounded out 17 hits and 10 runs.  All of the starters collected at least 1 hit.  Ben Coram and Jake Gonzalez led the multiple-hit barrage with 3 apiece.   The real damage was done in the run rule contest by Anthony McIntyre, the Bucs' starting pitcher.  Anthony was nearly perfect as he swept the hitters off their feet.  Only one Galveston hitter reached base (on an Error) as Anthony threw his first no-hitter of the year.  This makes the Bucs' record now 6-2 in district play and 17-7 on the year.

The Buccaneers hosted the Alvin Yellowjackets on Friday, April 4th.  What you expected, a pitcher’s duel, turned out to be a slugfest between two heavyweight teams.  Joey Bacica’s homer started the Bucs off on the right foot, but the Yellowjackets answered back in the top of the 4th with 3 runs after an error.  Brazoswood struck right back and regained the lead  4-3.  The battle was on, back and forth, with Alvin leading by 2 going into the 7th inning.  The ace of Alvin’s staff, Nathan Eovaldi, entered to close the game only to be greeted by hits by Will Bedell and Anthony McIntyre which tied the score.  However, Travis Snider came to the Yellowjackets' rescue with 2 rbi’s in the 8th to cap off a 10-7 hard fought victory for Alvin.

The Bucs traveled to Clear Creek Tuesday night to take on the Wildcats for the district lead.  The Buccaneers came out blazing.   Ben Coram singled, Andrew Garner walked and then after two outs, Jake Gonzalez homered for a three run lead.  Joey Bacica sent the next pitch over the left fence to give the Bucs a 4 run lead.  The 3^rd inning saw Andrew Garner blast a solo shot over the right field fence to give the Bucs another run.  The Wildcats got one run back in the 4^th on a Buccaneer error.  However, Tyler Green shutdown any rally thoughts by throwing his first complete game.  It was a well played game by both teams as they end the first round of district play.  The Buccaneers start the second round by playing the Alvin Yellowjackets Friday night at Wilson Field at 7:00 p.m.

The Bucs ran their 24-5A District record to 3-1 with a 8-2 win over the Clear Lake Falcons Thursday.  Clear Lake took a short lived lead in the top of the 3^rd on a walk and two singles.  The Bucs answered back with 3 in the bottom of the 3^rd  on 4 hits.  The Bucs continued their scoring ways in the 5^th and 6^th innings, respectively with 5 more runs.   Colton was sizzling as he struck out 12 Falcons on the night.

The Bucs defeated Clear Brook on Wednesday in an exciting contest by the score of 10-6.  The Bucs jumped out to an early 5-0 lead only to see the Wolverines storm back to take a 6-5 lead.  The Bucs were not to be denied though.  They tied the game in the 6^th and then broke it open in the 7^th with a great bunt by Ben Coram and a double by Joey Bacica.   Anthony McIntyre slapped the door shut on the Wolverines for his 3^rd win of the year.

Brazoswood scored three runs in the bottom of the first inning and held on for a 4-2 win over Galveston Ball in District 24-5A play Friday.  Jacob Gonzalez went 2-3 with two RBI for the Bucs (12-5, 1-1). Tyler Green went 2-3 with an RBI and Ben Coram drove in a run on a squeeze bunt.  Harrison Faickney, Joey Bacica, Cody Williams and Will Bedell each had a hit.  Colton Lindloff (3-1) earned the win with 11 strikeouts.

The Brazoswood Buccaneers defeated the Mustangs from Katy Taylor last night in a thrilling 9 inning contest.  Both starting pitchers had great games.  Tyler Green threw 5 and 2/3 innings with 7k’s 1 hit 1 run and 2 BB.  Colton Lindloff threw 2 and 1/3 innings striking out 5 giving up 2 runs on 4 hits.  Anthony McIntyre came in to get the win throwing 1 inning and 1k.  Brazoswood scored first on a single by Harrison Faickney, a sacrifice bunt by Tyler Green,stolen base and a bunt by Ben Coram.  Andrew Garner then added to the lead in the 4^th  by blasting a solo homer.   The Mustangs tied the game in the 6^th on a walk and home run by Taylor Featherston.  In the top of the ninth the Mustangs took the lead on a double and a single.  However, the Bucs were not to be denied, after Jacob Gonzalez reached on a two out error Andrew Garner hit homer number two – a walk off homer to win the game.  This runs the Bucs record to 5-1 on the year.

Jacob Gonzalez got the start in the 2^nd game of the year for the Bucs, and he made the most of the opportunity.  Jake threw a no-hitter and struck out 10 LaMarque batters.  On the offensive side of the game, he jump started the sluggish offense with a 2 run homerun.  After that, the Bucs woke up.  Leading the attack were Harrison Faickney 3-4 with 4 RBI’s, Ben Coram 2-3 with 3 RBI’s and Tyler Green with a 2 run homer.  Will Bedell finished the final 3 innings, striking out 3 and combining with Jake for the no-hitter.

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By Joel Luna
The Facts    

Published May 15, 2008 CLUTE — After 30 years of service in the dugout, Brazoswood Buccaneer baseball assistant David Bacica has decided to hang up his cleats. 

With more than 400 victories as a head coach at several high school programs, Bacica has roamed the Bucs dugout as an assistant since 1996 under head coaches Bobby Williams and Bill Polan. 

“He’s been my right-hand man, keeps me organized and has gone above and beyond the call of duty for the kids,” Williams said. “From tutoring them, he has just been unbelievable. These kids are going to miss him real bad.” 

Bacica and the Bucs are 24-12 this season and still alive in the postseason. Brazoswood faces District 24-5A rival Alvin in a three-game set beginning at home at 7 p.m. today. 

“I primarily have other things of interest that I’d like to do and since both of my boys (Nick and Joey) are out of high school,” Bacica said. “Also, if we’d like to visit them for an extended weekend I won’t have to worry about missing a game. I haven’t missed one in over 30 years and didn’t want to start now.” 

Bacica started the baseball program at Waller High School in 1978 and won more than 42 games and two co-District 22-2A titles. 

After his stint there Bacica came to the Brazoria County area where he took over the Brazosport Exporter baseball program the next 12 years. 

The Ships were district champs in 1983 and reached the region final the next year.  

Bacica headed to Pearland in 1994 for a season where he was an assistant baseball coach and varsity football coach. After that year came his calling to Brazoswood country where he spent 12 years as assistant to Williams and Polan. 

“I am definitely going to miss his steadiness and calmness in pressure situations,” Williams said. “He brought us the finer points of coaching in pitching, hitting and fielding. I just found out last week, and it is going to be tough to replace him. The kids’ jaws dropped when he announced to us he was stepping down. 

“He’s been at it for a long time and is still a young guy who moves and acts like a young guy. He hasn’t slowed down a step in his approach and enthusiasm.” 

Bacica has more than enjoyed his time as a Buc assistant, getting the opportunity to coach both of his sons along the way. 

“When I first came back to Brazoswood my boys were just starting to play and one thing Bill told me was that we had enough assistant coaches so that I could go see mine play,” Bacica said. “He gave me that opportunity.” 

Though he will be leaving the dugout area, Bacica will still roam the halls of Brazoswood High School and remain as the AP geometry instructor. Asked what the game has meant to him, Bacica summed it all up: “It’s been an outlet and not a job,” Bacica said. “It has been just a different way to touch the lives of a kid that I can teach. It is a game that is meant to be played with fun and intensity. The game gave me that outlet opposed to being in the classroom. It is the highs and lows of what the game gives.”   

All-District 24-5A First Team
Colton Lindloff - P 
Joey Bacica - SS
Jake Gonzalez - OF
Andrew Garner - Newcomer of the Year
Tyler Green - Designated Hitter

All-District 24-5A Second Team
Anthony McIntyre - P
Ben Coram - 3B
Harrison Faickney - OF

All-Brazoria County First Team
Joey Bacica, Andrew Garner, Jake Gonzalez, Tyler Green, Colton Lindloff

All-Brazoria County Second Team
Ben Coram, Anthony McIntyre, Harrison Faickney

All-Brazoria County Honorable Mention 
Will Bedell, Derek Hamilton, Sammy Knox, Cody Williams

TX Rangers Area Code Tryout
Ben Coram, Andrew Garner, Jake Gonzalez, Tyler Green

Texas Scouts Association Invitational Workout
Ben Coram