Sharyland Rattler Baseball: Welcome
Welcome to the website of the Mighty Sharyland Rattlers' baseball team.District 30 AAAAA
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To the Player: You will get very tired of hearing this ... but if you do not take care of your academics (grades) it will not matter how good you are on the baseball field, if your dream is to play college baseball academics are a part of the package!
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2009 Baseball Preview
Sharyland Rattlers tabbed Valley's preseason No. 1
MISSION - For some teams, being ranked the preseason No. 1 might be seen as a curse.
Some teams with the potential to win a state title might be overwhelmed by the pressure of living up to such high expectations.
But for the Sharyland Rattlers baseball team, being touted as one of the state's best does not add undue pressure. Instead it adds motivation to succeed.
"Going to state is something we talk about every day in practice," said Sharyland head coach Bart Bickerton. "We have felt like we had the team to go the distance the last two years."
The Rattlers open the Valley baseball season, which begins Monday, as Valley Freedom Newspapers' preseason No. 1 thanks to a bevy of experienced returning starters.
Three of the Rattlers' seven returning starters have already signed letters of intent to play college ball.
Pitcher/shortstop Angel Ibanez signed with UTPA, second baseman Adam Peña is headed to San Jacinto Junior College, and Tucker Oakley, who missed all of last season with an injury, is going to Weatherford JC.
But as solid as the Rattlers look, they are in a district where the competition will challenge them every step of the way.
League foes McAllen High and La Joya are in the preseason top five. McHi sits at No. 2, while the Coyotes, who are the two-time District 30-5A defending champs, are ranked No. 4.
"We have a lot of work ahead of us if we want to keep our league title," said Coyotes head coach Reuben Farias. "We have a good nucleus of players coming back with great leadership qualities. With God's blessing and favor, we should have a great and prosperous year."
Wedged between McHi and La Joya at No. 3 is Brownsville Lopez, which is going for a fifth straight district title dating back to 2005 when the Lobos were in Class 4A.
The Lobos continue to bring back a seemingly endless supply of talent that keeps the machine running year after year.
"They just always seem to have those special athletes that can step up and play," said opposing league coach Eddie Serna of Weslaco.
Rounding out the top five is Edinburg North out of District 31-5A.
The Cougars are in search for their first-ever district title this season. And with 14 returning seniors, they have the potential to get the job done.
"Our kids understand that as a senior ballclub, they can't hide and sneak up on anyone," said Coogs head coach Nick Cantu Jr. "But just because we are starting the season ranked high does not mean anything.
"We have to go out there and prove that we deserve the attention. Like the old saying goes, ‘it's not how you start but how you finish that counts.'"
The Cougars are joined in the top 10 by fellow 31-5A foe PSJA High, which is ranked No. 7.
Sitting at No. 6 is Brownsville Porter, which should give Lopez all it can handle in District 32-5A.
Rounding out the top 10 is La Feria at No. 8, Roma at No. 9 and Hidalgo at No. 10.
The Lions finished in third place last year behind Hidalgo and district champ Rio Hondo. But with a benchload of returning starters, the
Lions are ready to become the District 32-3A kings.
As for Roma, the Glads have an excellent shot at dethroning Mission High as the District 32-4A champs.
Finally, the Pirates should challenge La Feria for District 32-3A supremacy this season.
VFN Top 10
1. Sharyland
2. McAllen High
3. Brownsville Lopez
4. La Joya
5. Edinburg North
6. Brownsville Porter
7. PSJA High
8. La Feria
9. Roma
10. Hidalgo
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Sharyland finish 2nd to Edinburg in the Edinburg 10K High School division.
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Former Sharyland firstbasemen Alex Brummel made the Deans List this fall at Schreiner College in Kerrville Texas.
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Sharyland sr, Adam Pena, signs with San Jacinto Junior College
| .509 Batting Avg | - Led Team |
| 53 Runs | - Led Team |
| 54 RBIs | - Led Team (4th in State) |
| 6 Home Runs |
Friday, January 16
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The University of Texas-Pan American head baseball coach, Manny Mantrana announced on the signing of Angel Ibanez (Mission, TX / Sharyland High) to National Letters of Intent to join the Broncs in the 2009-10 academic campaign.
Ibanez, an infielder, resides in Mission where he attends Sharyland High School.
"Angel is a talented athlete that can play infield, outfield, and even pitch'" said Mantrana. "Yet, where he will be turning heads is at the plate. His bat speed is hard match. I will not be a surprise if he leads UTPA Baseball in multiple offensive categories."
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Check standings and team leaders on Maxpreps
Wednesday, July 16
Junior secondbasemen Adam Pena was the only Valley baseball player to make the 1st Team All State Team. Pena was selected All State by THSBCA and the Sports Writers of Texas. Wade Meadors was selected to the All-State Academic Team. Wade is the first Rattler baseball player to recieve this award.
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The St. Louis Cardinals called up left-hander Jaime Garcia on Thursday morning, sending the former Sharyland standout and All-Rio Grande Valley MVP to the major leagues for the first time in his young professional career.
Garcia had been playing for the Triple-A Memphis Redbirds, where he was a starter. He began the season in Double-A. St. Louis said he initially would receive work out of the bullpen. Cardinals left-hander Mark Mulder was placed on the 15-day on Thursday, clearing the way for Garcia to be called up to the big leagues.
Garcia didn't return messages left on his cell phone Thursday, but he did talk to The Monitor last week.
"I don't pay attention to any of it," Garcia said when asked about the speculation that he was close to being promoted to the big leagues. "I stay away from the Internet. If it happens, it happens, you know. I just need to concentrate. If I don't get called up this year, maybe I will next year."
Garcia, however, didn't have to wait much longer for his call-up, and it didn't come as a surprise.
"It's an exciting day for us over here at Sharyland," said Rattlers coach Barton Bickerton, who coached Garcia. "You always want to see one of your kids go through the system, and we've been waiting for this all year long. After talking to him, I knew it was just a matter of time, and we were pretty sure he was going to get that chance this season.
"The thing about Jaime, he always knew he would make it. That's the type of attitude he had. I don't think he's sitting back shocked right now. He prepared himself to one day pitch in the majors."
In 12 starts with the Redbirds, Garcia was 4-4 with a 4.59 ERA. He had 57 strikeouts in 68 2/3 innings pitched. Garcia had long been tabbed as one of the top prospects in the Cardinals' minor league organization. He started the season in Double-A with the Springfield Cardinals, going 3-2 on the mound with a 2.06 ERA.
The left-hander was selected in the 30th round in the 2004 draft after finishing his junior season at Sharyland. After it was learned that his playing eligibility had expired with the Rattlers, the Baltimore Orioles took a chance on then 17-year-old Garcia. Garcia held out for more money to no avail and was drafted the following year by the Cardinals.
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MISSION - Andre Rodriguez's path to major college baseball wasn't the smoothest or the straightest, but it still got him to one of the Big 12's leading programs.
Rodriguez, a former Sharyland outfielder, accepted a partial scholarship offer last week to play for head coach Tim Jamieson and the University of Missouri Tigers. As a senior, Rodriguez hit .379 with nine home runs at 38 RBIs and led the Rattlers to the third round of the playoffs. At Rattlers home games, his walk-up music was preceded by a line from Anchorman, with Ron Burgundy saying "I'm kind of a big deal."
And after what he went through during his sophomore and junior years, it definitely is a big deal that Rodriguez is headed to Missouri.
Prior to his sophomore season, Rodriguez broke his right wrist in a car accident, costing him the entire season. Then, halfway through his junior year, a back injury caused him to miss the rest of that season.
Sharyland coach Barton Bickerton said "it's great" to see Rodriguez sign with the Tigers after the challenges he faced.
"He's still not where he completely needs to be just because he missed all that time," Bickerton said. "It's great, especially since we knew he would be in this situation or better when he was a freshman starting. It's nice to see him hang in there and pretty much fulfill his dreams with going to a big school."
Those two injuries somewhat took him off the recruiting radar, but a strong senior year and timely power in front of college coaches while playing for the South Texas Sliders traveling team, including two home runs in front of Jamieson, helped him gain more attention from major programs and, eventually, a scholarship offer from Missouri.
"He's on cloud nine. His feet aren't even touching the ground," Andre's father, Jose said. "He gets to play in the Big 12, and when they come down here to play Texas and A&M, we'll be able to watch him play. I'm sure we'll make a couple trips up to Mizzou."
Missouri, which finished 39-21 and reached the NCAA Tournament, is one of the Big 12's emerging teams. The program has produced some of Major League Baseball's best young players, including Texas Rangers All-Star second baseman Ian Kinsler, who played for the Tigers in 2003 after transferring from Arizona State.
The Tigers also had six players drafted this year, including pitcher Aaron Crow, who was the ninth overall pick by the Washington Nationals. The draft also opened up a spot on Missouri's roster for Rodriguez, who had already applied and been accepted to MU.
Now, though, he knows where he'll be playing college ball. And, for that matter, where he's going to continue his education, with classes in Columbia starting next month.
"I had been talking to different schools. I knew I was going to play somewhere but I was nervous not knowing where I was going, whether I was going to have to play in junior college or what I needed to do first," said Andre, who had also been in contact with Texas and had already accepted an academic scholarship to Baylor.
"I know I'm going to play. I'm going to work hard and it will just take care of itself," Andre added. "I'm excited and glad for this opportunity."
Brian Sandalow is a sports writer for The Monitor. You can reach him at (956) 683-4436.
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Medrano shines in first season at Sharyland.
Mike Medrano admits he didn't know how well he was going to fit in when he transferred to Sharyland. His family moved from San Antonio before the school year for his father's job.
"My first couple of days on the team was weird," Medrano said. "I didn't know anyone. I was just really nervous."
Talent is the best way to gain acceptance. Medrano's pitching abilities earned him ace of the staff.
"I was really surprised because this was the first time I was on varsity," the sophomore said. "To make it as a sophomore was great."
Medrano was named The Monitor's All-Valley newcomer of the year after a solid season in which he finished 9-1. He had a 1.09 ERA, struck out 50 and walked only eight in 57 1/3 innings pitched.
"It was a great season," Medrano said. "I wish we could have gone further. I want to get better for next year."
Medrano is joined on the All-Valley superlative list by MVP Henry Garcia, who was dominant on the mound with an 8-2 record and a 0.47 ERA.
Rounding out the superlatives is the coach of the year, McAllen High's Eliseo Pompa. Pompa guided a young squad to the regional semifinals. The Bulldogs (26-15) were the last Rio Grande Valley team standing in the playoffs and are the season-ending No. 1 team despite finishing third in District 30-5A.
McHi advanced to the University Interscholastic League Sweet 16 for the third time in four years, losing two weeks ago to San Antonio Reagan in the teams' regional semifinal.
"It was very satisfying from the standpoint of how we finished the season," Pompa said. "Our younger kids really stepped up. The good thing about our young guys is that they got to get some of experience for the future."
After the team hit a lull early in the season, Pompa gave some of his younger players a larger role. One of those players was First-Team All-Valley outfielder Tim Ford, who in his first season on varsity hit .415 and brought in 32 runs.
Other key players on the team included Pompa's grandson, Omar, who batted .350 as a freshman and Armando Garza, who stepped in as the team's catcher also in his freshman season.
The Bulldogs were also able to lean on their sophomore standout, Alvaro Moreno. Moreno, the first team All-Valley shortstop, led the team in hitting (.418) and RBIs (39). Moreno (8-4) also teamed with junior James Franz (9-3) for a solid rotation.
"It is a positive to look forward to next season," Pompa said. "We have some experience. Hopefully, our kids will get stronger."
Joining Moreno and Ford on the All-Valley first team is senior catcher Eli De La Garza (.480, 14 doubles, 39 RBIs), who helped lead the Bobcats to the District 31-5A Championship and was named the league's MVP.
Another Bobcats player on the first team is junior first baseman Michael Kasprzynski (.379, 36 runs, three errors).
District 30-5A MVP Miguel Peña (10-2, 1.65 ERA, 95 strikeouts, 72 innings Pitched) is the first team pitcher. He is joined by Coyotes teammate Lupe Lopez (.420, 24 RBIs, four HRs), who enters as the designated hitter.
Sharyland had the most on the first team with four that includes junior second baseman Adam Peña (.527, 48 runs, 44 RBIs, five HRs), junior third baseman Marco Rodriguez (.489, 31 RBIs, 38 runs) and senior outfielders Omar Berrones (.488, 39, runs, 32 RBIs) and Andre Rodriguez (.379, 9 HRs, 39 RBIs).
Peter Rasmussen covers high school baseball for The Monitor. You can him at (956) 683-4448.
All-Valley Team
Most Valuable Player
Henry Garcia, sr., Brownsville Porter
Newcomer of the Year
Mike Medrano, fresh., Sharyland
Coach of the Year
Eliseo Pompa, McAllen High
First Team
Pitcher
Miguel Peña, jr., La Joya
First Base
Michael Kasprzynski, jr., Edinburg High
Second Base
Adam Peña, jr., Sharyland
Shortstop
Alvaro Moreno, soph., McAllen High
Third Base
Marco Rodriguez, jr., Sharyland
Catcher
Eli De La Garza, sr., Edinburg High
Outfield
Omar Berrones, jr., Sharyland; Andre Rodriguez, sr., Sharyland; Tim Ford, soph., McAllen High
Designated Hitter
Lupe Lopez, soph., La Joya
Second Team
Pitcher
Justin Anthony, jr., Edinburg High
First Base
Mike Martinez, PSJA Memorial
Second Base
Justin Granado, soph., Brownsville Lopez
Shortstop
Robert Mariscal, sr., La Joya
Third Base
John Rendon, sr., Edinburg High
Catcher
Rolando Garcia, soph., PSJA High
Outfield
David Martinez, sr., Weslaco High; Michael Barajas, sr., Edinburg High; Luis Munoz, Brownsville Lopez
Designated Hitter
Andrew Silva, Edinburg High
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Sharyland's Andre Rodriguez had senior season to remember
For Andre Rodriguez, 2008 was the season he had been waiting for.
After a breakout freshman season, he was forced to sit out his sophomore season with a broken wrist and his junior year, as he said, could have been better.
But as a senior, Rodriguez went out in style.
He led the Rattlers with nine home runs, batted .368 with 141 at-bats in 36 games, scored 40 runs, had 42 hits and had 43 RBIs with 13 doubles and five triples.
For his efforts, Rodriguez was named the 2008 VMS All-Valley Offensive Player of the Year.
"This was the kind of season I'd been waiting to have since I first began high school," Rodriguez said. "It was a season to remember."
Unfortunately, the Rattlers' season ended somewhat prematurely with a third-round playoff loss to Laredo United in a one-game affair.
"We were a better team than Laredo, but in a one-game playoff anything can happen and, unfortunately, things turned out badly for us," he said.
Still, Rodriguez said he'd look back upon his senior season with pride as he prepares for the future.
With an academic scholarship already in hand from Baylor University, he hopes to eventually walk on with the Bears.
"However, I may decide to go to Missouri or the University of Houston if I can walk on there," he said. "I love to play baseball and if I get a chance to play at the next level, I'll jump at the chance."
2008 VMS All-Valley team
Most Valuable Player - Henry Garcia, Brownsville Porter
Offensive Player of the Year - Andre Rodriguez, Sharyland
Defensive Player of the Year - Michael Barajas, Edinburg High
Newcomer of the Year - Tim Ford, McAllen High
Pitcher of the Year - Miguel Peña, La Joya
Coach of the Year - Steve Mendoza, Santa Rosa
FIRST TEAM
Pitcher - Sean Messick, Harlingen South; Joshua Cordero, Rio Hondo; Eli De La Garza, Edinburg
Catcher - Gus Henngler, Brownsville Porter; Ryan Ramirez, Mission High
First base - Sal Limon, McAllen High
Second base - Adam Peña. Sharyland
Third base - J.D. Vela, Los Fresnos
Shortstop - Alvaro Moreno, McAllen High
Utility - Rollie Garza, Rio Hondo
Designated hitter - Roman Rocha, Brownsville Rivera
Outfield - Peter Maldonado, Harlingen South; Shane Eizember, Rio Hondo; Chito Sanchez, Mission High
Tuesday, June 3
All-District lists
DISTRICT 30-5A
MVP - Miguel Peña, jr., La Joya
Newcomer of the Year - Lupe Lopez, soph., La Joya; Mike Medrano, soph., Sharyland; Tim Ford, soph. McAllen High
Coach of the Year - Reuben Farias, La Joya
FIRST TEAM
Pitcher - Alvaro Moreno, soph., McAllen High; BJ Valadez, sr., Rio Grande City; Angel Ibañez, jr., Sharyland; Albert Obregon, jr., McAllen Rowe.
Catcher - Adrian Peña, sr., La Joya
First Baseman - Sal Limon, sr., McAllen High
Second Baseman - Adam Peña, jr., Sharyland
Shortstop - Alvaro Moreno, soph., McAllen High
Third Baseman - Steven Solis, sr., McAllen High; Marco Rodriguez, jr., Sharyland
Outfielders - Albert Vizcaino, sr., McAllen High; Javier Ramirez, sr., La Joya; Andre Rodriguez, sr., Sharyland; Mario Orozco, jr., Sharyland.
Designated Hitter - Alex Donigan, sr., McAllen Memorial; Adrian Leal, jr, McAllen High
Utility Player - John Gomez, sr., Donna
SECOND TEAM
Pitcher - James Franz, jr., McAllen High; Adrian Garza, La Joya; Marco Rodriguez, Sharyland.
Catcher - Joe Ray Mendoza, jr., McAllen Rowe
First Baseman - Matias Brizulea, sr., Sharyland
Second Baseman - Marshall Miller, sr., McAllen High
Shortstop - Robert Mariscal, sr., La Joya
Third Baseman - Jesus Portillo, sr., Rio Grande City
Outfielders - Jesse Trevino, sr., La Joya; Omar Berrones, sr., Sharyland; Victorimo Bermudez, sr., Rio Grande City; Micheal Enriquez, sr., McAllen Rowe
Designated Hitter - Adan Hernandez, sr., Sharyland
Utility Player - Joseph Conover, jr. McAllen Memorial
HONORBALE MENTION
Pitcher - Marshall Miller, sr., McAllen High; Jaime Cantu, McAllen Memorial; Alex Donigan, McAllen Memorial; Rene Medina, McAllen Rowe
Catcher - Jorge Garza, soph., McAllen Memorial; Orlando martinez, jr., Sharyland; Armando Garza, fresh., McAllen High
First Baseman - Walley Barrera, jr., La Joya; Santiago Rivas, jr., McAllen Memorial; Albert Obregon, jr. McAllen Rowe
Second Baseman - Ralph Juarez, jr., McAllen Rowe; Leo Gonzalez, jr., La Joya; Aaron Rivera, jr., McAllen Memorial
Shortstop - Angel Ibañez, jr., Sharyland
Third Baseman - Joseph Conover, jr., McAllen Memorial
Outfielders - Aaron Canul, jr., McAllen High; Jaime Cantu, jr., McAllen Memorial; Juan Sanchez, sr., McAllen Memorial; Andy Saenz, jr., McAllen Memorial; Aldo Salinas, jr., La Joya; George Gutierrez, sr., Rio Grande City
Designated Hitter - Raymond Luna, jr., La Joya
Utility Player - Wally Barrera, jr., La Joya; Angel Ibañez, jr., Sharyland; Juan Zuniga, jr., Rio Grande City; Albert Chavez, sr., Donna.
Tuesday, June 3
Longhorns end wild Rattlers’ year
KINGSVILLE - He'd already done it once, but the second time Sharyland pitcher Angel Ibañez struck Jorge Guarneros with a pitch was deadly for the Rattlers.
Each play seemingly sucked the life out of Sharyland, which lost 5-4 to Laredo United in a one-game regional quarterfinal Friday at Nolan Ryan Field at Texas A&M-Kingsville that required an extra inning.
From the start, Sharyland started out slow and looked nothing like a team that won 31 games. The Longhorns (23-6) took advantage of seven hits in four innings for a commanding 3-1 lead.
"We waited to have our worst defensive game probably of the season at the wrong time in a one-game series," Sharyland coach Barton Bickerton said. "You get in a situation where it's a one-game series, and you make about four or five errors, which is totally completely different than what we've played all year."
Ibañez replaced Mike Medrano on the mound during the fourth inning, and Sharyland went on a hitting frenzy in the fifth.
When Ibañez came in, the bases were already loaded.
He gave up an unearned run to Stefan Rincon, who scored after Guarneros reached first on a fielding error to put Laredo up 3-1.
Sharyland scored one run in the fourth, Ibañez kept United's batters quiet in the fifth, and the Rattlers rallied from behind to take a brief 4-3 lead.
During that stretch, pinch runner Casey Klein replaced Orlando Martinez, who reached on a fielding error. Marco Rodriguez followed with a double to right field to put Klein in scoring position.
Then Omar Berrones fouled out to right field and Klein scored, moving Rodriguez into scoring position. He later scored on an Adam Peña RBI to center field, and Sharyland had its first lead of the game.
That didn't last too long for Sharyland. With two outs and a runner on second, Ibañez hit Guarneros with a pitch as Rincon advanced to third. Rincon scored after Ibañez walked Sandoval.
Sharyland didn't score in the seventh with the game tied at 4 to push the game into extra innings.
Luis Pollorena doubled to center field for the Longhorns, Javier Perez then flied out to right field and Pollorena moved to third.
Then Ibañez struck Guarneros again, and tempers almost flared out of control. But United kept its cool, realizing they had one out and a runner in scoring position.
Ramon Sandoval flied out left field, and Pollorena scored the winning run.
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30-5A trio last 5A teams alive
Respect runs so high between the last three Class 5A Rio Grande Valley schools standing in the state baseball playoffs, it is tough to fathom that La Joya, McAllen High and Sharyland are heated District 30-5A rivals.
McHi coach Eliseo Pompa was given every opportunity to take a knock at the Coyotes and/or Rattlers, but declined.
"We are not going to say anything," said a joking Pompa, whose Bulldogs open a best-of-three, regional quarterfinal against La Joya at 7:30 tonight at McHi. "Why should we say anything? There is plenty of trash talking during the game."
The respect stems from how tough the three schools have played each other in recent years. In some ways they have toughened each other up for the postseason, and this year the three schools form the same district have advanced deeper in the playoffs than any other Class 5A, Valley programs.
Sharyland plays a winner-take-all regional quarterfinal game against Laredo United at 7:30 tonight at Texas A&M-Kingsville.
"Our district schedule, playing La Joya and McAllen High, it prepares you for the playoffs a lot more than probably other teams who kind of breeze through their district," Rattlers coach Barton Bickerton said. "Just the competition between the three, it helps us.
"It is a playoff atmosphere when we play those teams. I think all three programs will be tough year in and year out. I think that is probably what helps us, dealing with that playoff atmosphere."
The mutual admiration extends west to La Joya. Coyotes coach Reuben Farias had no qualms expressing his favorable opinion about the Valley's remaining three 5A schools.
"I strongly believe that we are the three strongest teams," Farias said. "(Being the last three standing) goes to show how tough we are."
Harlingen South coach Tony Leal, who took the Hawks to the state championship last season, said he is impressed by all three
"These teams are good," Leal said. "I think they have a real shot of making it far, I really do. They are no fluke.
"Whoever plays the best defense is going to win. I know Sharyland can hit and McHi and La Joya are going to get enough hits. But who plays defense best is going to really matter."
La Joya is yet to drop a postseason game, sweeping Laredo LBJ (bi-district) and PSJA High (area) to reach its series against McHi. The Bulldogs defeated Eagle Pass in bi-district and Brownsville Lopez in the area round, winning both series' in three games.
The Rattlers swept its bi-district opponent, Laredo Alexander, and area-round foe, Edinburg High, outscoring the opposition 38-9.
"I don't recall having three teams from one district being the last three left," Leal said. "It goes to show how tough their district is.
"I've seen all three teams and they are pretty good. Wouldn't it be awesome to have another team make it to state? Now it takes a little bit of luck."
When McHi and La Joya lock horns tonight, and if down the postseason road one of the teams run into Sharyland, they will revert to foes. But off the diamond all three coaches seem content on building each others teams up.
"We are very close even though we are very different teams," Bickerton said. "We go at it in different ways. The things that we do, we do it well. ... In the end, we have all had a lot of success, especially in the last six or seven years."
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EDINBURG - Just a minute or two earlier, Sharyland center fielder Mario Orozco was writhing on the ground in pain during the top of the sixth after fouling a pitch off his left leg. After being helped up to his feet by a teammate and limping to the batter's box, Orozco then drilled a tiebreaking RBI double off Edinburg High pitcher Ricky Villarreal.
Orozco's drive, plus seven more runs over the last two innings sent Sharyland (31-3-1) to a 12-4 win, a sweep of the District 31-5A champion Bobcats and a matchup with Laredo United in the regional quarterfinals.
"(Mario's) been doing that for us all year," Sharyland coach Barton Bickerton said. "He did it against (McAllen High), he came up with a big two-run home run against them to beat them. He's been doing it all year from the nine-hole. We don't put bad hitters in the nine-hole, we put guys that can hit."
Apparently, Bickerton also puts batters in the nine-hole that can deal with a lot of pain. After Orozco fouled the pitch off his own leg, Bickerton had a pinch-hitter get ready.
Orozco, though, insisted on staying in the game.
"It hurt a lot. I already had a scratch on my leg and it was bleeding," Orozco said. "(Bickerton) didn't tell me anything. I just told him ‘I'm ready to play and I'm not coming out of the game.'"
The delay, which included Orozco hobbling up the first-base line and then laying down on the ground and covering his face, lasted about five minutes. In that time, it was possible for Villarreal to lose his concentration.
Edinburg High coach David Kasprzynski said that didn't happen.
"I called the wrong pitch right there," Kasprzynski said of Villarreal's fastball. "You've got a nine-hole hitter who's probably hitting in the high (.300s). That was a mistake on my part."
After that play, the Rattlers scored five more times in the sixth inning, sending 11 batters to the plate. Sharyland also impressed Kasprzynski, whose team's season ends with a 29-8 record.
"How can you take anything away from this season? Twenty-nine wins, I don't know if Edinburg has ever done that, Kasprzynski said. "I mean, 29-8 is 37 games and a lot of baseball. A lot of winning baseball."
Friday, May 16
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Brian Sandalow
MISSION - With one swing and one tag, Sharyland second baseman Adam Pena wiped out a night of missed opportunities.
Pena's sixth-inning two-run home run off Edinburg High starting pitcher Justin Anthony gave the Rattlers (30-3-1) a two-run lead heading into the top of the seventh. Then, after Edinburg High cut the lead to one and loaded the bases in the final inning, Pena's tag picked Bobcats catcher Eli De La Garza off second base. That second out short-circuited the rally, which ended with reliever Angel Ibanez striking out Bobcats designated hitter Andrew Silva to preserve a dramatic 5-4 win and give the Rattlers a 1-0 lead in their best-of-three area round series heading into Game 2 today at 4 p.m. in Edinburg.
"As a coach, when you see all those opportunities go by it's usually a game you don't win," Sharyland coach Barton Bickerton said, referencing the nine runners the Rattlers left on base. "But Adam came through with a big hit. Luckily we had a guy on before, or we're still playing right now. He had struggled at the plate before that."
Pena's worst struggle was in the fourth, when with the bases loaded and no outs, he struck out looking. Anthony then got Rattlers slugger Andre Rodriguez to pop out and then got out of the jam by getting Ibanez to ground out to second.
But it was Pena's sixth-inning home run and, somewhat ironically, the Bobcats' inability to convert their own chance which ultimately decided the game.
And, even though Silva still could have extended the game for the Bobcats (29-7), any momentum one of the Valley's top teams had was gone when De La Garza was called out.
"In big situations like that, obviously they're well prepared, when you haven't seen a play like that with bases loaded and they just got done switching pitchers," Edinburg High coach David Kasprzynski said, noting that Ibanez hadn't made one pitch before throwing to Pena, who had snuck behind De La Garza. "You've just got to give Sharyland credit for calling the play in that situation."
In fact, it was a play Pena said the Rattlers work on every day.
"You work on that stuff all year and it comes around once a year," Bickerton said. "And when it works, it's great."
Monday, April 21
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Medrano Shuts Downs Coyotes
MISSION - Sharyland pitcher Mike Medrano was nervous before taking the mound against La Joya on Friday at Sharyland.
The sophomore had every reason to be. It was one of the Rattlers' biggest games of the year, and he was facing one of the top pitchers in the Rio Grande Valley in La Joya's Miguel Peña.
Despite the nerves and a playoff atmosphere, Medrano outpitched Peña in a 5-1 District 30-5A victory for the Rattlers.
Medrano tossed a complete game, striking out five and working his way out of jams with the help of the Rattlers' defense.
"I just wanted to come out here and throw strikes," he said. "Pretty much this is the biggest win of my career."
Peña struggled in the loss, allowing four earned runs, nine hits, four walks and committing two errors. A wild pitch allowed a Rattlers run in the fourth.
The win keeps the Rattlers (26-3, 8-2), who beat McAllen High 12-9 on Tuesday, within striking distance of first place in 30-5A. La Joya (20-3, 9-1) is in first and needs only one win to clinch at least a share of the district title.
The Coyotes finish the season against Rio Grande City and McHi.
"We had to win that game against McHi on Tuesday, and we needed to win this game against La Joya for us to have a chance," Rattlers coach Barton Bickerton said. "The win also gets a monkey off our backs. We hadn't been able to beat (the Coyotes). They had beaten us like five games in a row."
The last time the Sharyland faced the La Joya, the Rattlers blew a five-run lead late in the game to lose. Bickerton said the Sharyland defense failed the Rattlers in the teams' previous meeting, but the ‘D' came through Friday.
Sharyland turned three double plays and committed only one error. In the fifth, with runners on second and third, La Joya's Javier Ramirez hit one deep to left. Rattlers left fielder Omar Berrones caught the ball and then threw out Jesse Treviño at third for the third out before the runner at third could score.
"That was a good heads-up play," Bickerton said. "The last time we played them, we didn't play defense. We scored five runs last time, so I think the defense was the difference."
Offensively, the Rattlers received a solo home run from Adam Peña in the first inning and a two-run home run from Andre Rodriguez in the third, his ninth homer of the year.
"I told the team that we can't put our whole season on this one game," Coyotes coach Reuben Farias said. "We are still in first, and we just need to keep on going. Tonight, we just didn't execute."
Peter Rasmussen covers high school baseball for The Monitor. You can reach him at (956) 683-4448.
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Plenty of heated races as season slows down
With the season winding down, there are a few loose ends that need to be tied up with regard to the playoff picture.
>> District 30-5A: La Joya (9-0) holds a 1 1/2-game lead over McAllen High (8-2) and a two-game lead over Sharyland (7-2) for the top spot in district, and the Coyotes need to win only one of their remaining three games to clinch at least a tie for the district title. The Rattlers and Bulldogs need a La Joya collapse. Two of the Coyotes' last three opponents are Sharyland and McAllen High. ... McAllen Rowe (4-5) needs to hold off Rio Grande City (3-6) for the fourth and final playoff spot.
Wednesday, April 16
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Orozco homers for sharyland
McALLEN - Sharyland blew a six-run lead and then needed one extra inning for an important District 30-5A win.
Center fielder Mario Orozco hit a two-run homer during the eighth inning to put the Rattlers on top for good in a 12-9 win over the McAllen High Bulldogs on Tuesday at McAllen High.
"It was great to hit that home run," Orozco said. "It was my first one of the year, and it helped our team."
Sharyland added a third run in the eighth after right fielder Andre Rodriguez's hit went under first baseman Sal Limon's legs.
Angel Ibañez, the starting pitcher for Sharyland, capped the scoring in the eighth inning with a double that plated two more runs and a 12-7 edge.
But even with the five-run eighth, the Rattlers had to hang on to win. The Bulldogs scored two more runs in the bottom half of the inning and had the tying run at the plate, but McHi third baseman Steven Solis grounded into a forceout to second to end the game.
"I am very proud of these kids because they hung in there and fought back," Bulldogs coach Eliseo Pompa said. "They could have easily folded. We had the tying run at the plate. He hits it out, we are tied."
The win keeps the Rattlers (24-3, 7-2) in the hunt for a league title, but the Bulldogs (17-9, 8-2) can lay claim to it if La Joya loses its last three games.
"We had to win this game," Orozco said. "We lost to McHi and La Joya, but we showed we are back and together."
Each team struggled to muster any offense until the fourth inning.
With two outs in the top of the inning, the Rattlers began a hit parade. After back-to-back singles, first baseman Matias Brizuela doubled in both runs for a 2-0 Rattlers lead.
Sharyland sent 10 batters to the plate during the inning, collecting seven hits and taking a 6-0 lead.
The Bulldogs answered with four runs in the bottom half of the inning. McHi sent eight batters to the plate and had four hits in the inning.
McHi cut the lead to 6-5 in the fifth inning after right fielder Tim Ford's single plated Alvaro Moreno.
Sharyland added to its lead in the sixth inning on Marco Rodriguez's triple that scored Orozco from second to give the Rattlers a 7-5 lead.
The Bulldogs did not go away, answering with two runs in the bottom half of the inning off an Albert Vizciano double.
"(The Bulldogs) have a good young ballclub," Rattlers coach Barton Bickerton said. "They have a scrappy group of players over there."
Peter Rasmussen covers high school baseball for The Monitor. You can reach him at (956) 683-4448.
Wednesday, April 16
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Rodriguez making up for lost seasons
MISSION - In arguably its biggest week of the season, Sharyland will have one of its leaders on the field.
Senior outfielder Andre Rodriguez is 100 percent healthy for the first time since his freshman campaign and will finally be able to contribute to his team's late-season push. This week, the Rattlers take on District 30-5A rivals McAllen High (today) and La Joya (Friday), critical games to their league standing.
Rodriguez suffered a broken wrist in a car accident just before his sophomore season, playing sparingly to end the 2006 season. Last season, he struggled with his back, which required offseason surgery.
"He has been a leader on the team since his sophomore season, but he has had to do it from the bench," Rattlers coach Barton Bickerton said. "I think the team, and himself, would have really liked him to be a leader on the field. It's really not the same unless you are on the field."
Rodriguez, who owns Sharyland's single-season home run record with eight, said it was frustrating knowing there was nothing he could do to help the team.
"I am excited about the second half of the season and the playoffs," Rodriguez said. "The last two years we lost to (Harlingen) South. I didn't get to play the last two years against (South) because I got hurt, obviously. I am definitely ready to play in the playoffs and contribute more."
Before Rodriguez's accident, expectations were high for the senior, who was named the District 30-5A Newcomer of the Year in 2005. The honor seems almost ages away to Rodriguez after the lost seasons of '06 and '07. He said he is playing with a sense of urgency in '08 to make up for the last two years.
"We knew he was going to have a big year," junior second baseman Adam Peña said. "I could tell it was real hard watching him see everyone play and him not being able to play."
One of the setbacks of the injuries had been the dwindling interest from Division I college programs. Both Bickerton and Rodriguez said college recruits showed strong interest early in Rodriguez's career but have backed off somewhat because of the injuries.
Academically, Rodriguez has been accepted to Baylor, Houston and Missouri. He said he is confident he can walk-on at the school he eventually chooses.
"If he's healthy, he's a five-tool guy," Bickerton. "He can throw, he can hit, he can run, he just has to be healthy for a long period of time. It's hard to use the scholarship on a guy you are not sure about.
"You have to be a really tough kid to go through what he went through and come out his senior year and help out."
Peter Rasmussen covers high school baseball for The Monitor. You can reach him at (956) 683-4448.
Tuesday, March 25
| McHi Bulldogs Upset No. 6 Sharyland Rattlers Updated: March 21, 2008 09:29 AM CDT The first statewide high school baseball poll came out Thursday and the Sharyland High School Rattlers are ranked at No. 6 in Texas. But the rank held little weight on Thursday when the Rattlers faced the McAllen High School Bulldog. McHi took the venom out of the Rattlers' bite with a 7-5 win. Texas High School Baseball Coaches Association - Class 5-A Rankings
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Alex Brummel http://athletics.schreiner.edu/Baseball/roster.htm
Jaime Garcia Stats for Spring Training w/ Cardinals http://stlouis.cardinals.mlb.com/stats/sortable_player_stats.jsp?c_id=stl&baseballScope=SL4&subScope=pos&teamPosCode=all&statType=Overview&timeSubFrame=23&sitSplit=&venueID=&Submit=Submit&timeFrame=1
Oseil Flores http://www.thebaseballcube.com/players/F/Osiel-Flores.shtml
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Tuesday, March 11
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The Monitor
MISSION - Second-ranked Sharyland came from behind to defeat No. 3 Edinburg High 5-4 on Saturday and win the championship game of the PEN Classic at Sharyland.
The Rattlers erased a four-run deficit and win the game when Matias Brizuelas hit an RBI double to score Marco Rodriguez in the bottom of the seventh.
Sharyland improves to 15-1 on the season and swept the all-tournament superlative list. The MVP was junior shortstop Angel Ibañez, the offensive MVP was junior second baseman Adam Peña and the defensive MVP was Omar Berrones.
The all-tourney team consisted of Rio Grande City's B.J. Valadez, PSJA High's Danny Orozco, Edinburg High's Michael Barajas, Michael Kasprzynski, and Andrew Silva. Sharyland representatives included Brizuelas, Marco Rodriguez and Andre Rodriguez.
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Wednesday, September 26
Sharyland (M) 5 Rowe 2
Sharyland (I) 14 PSJA North 4
Shary Fresh 4 Edinburg North Fresh. 1
Sharyland (I) 5 La Joya 4
Shary Fresh 4 Rio Grande City JV 5
Harlingen Tourney
Shary 12 Kingsville 1 - Shary 5 Robstown 0 - Shary 2 Robstown 3
Sharyland Tourney
Shary (M) 1 McHi 5 - Shary (M) 3 Brownsville 4
Shary (I) 5 Brownsville 4 - Shary (I) 2 La Joya 4
Shary (M) 3 Hidalgo 1 - Shary (I) 6 La Joya 7 - Shary (M) 4 La Joya 3
Championship Game - Shary 7 Brownsville 5
Oct. 21 Shary vs PSJA (forfiet PSJA did not show)
Nov. 3 Shary (M) 8 vs Edinburg 6
Fresh 8 vs Alamo Select 2
Shary (I) 16 vs Edcouch 5
Wednesday, July 4
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Wade Baker
June 30, 2007 - 1:35AM
The Monitor
MISSION — Ismael Tijerina received the chance he was looking for.
Now the former Sharyland baseball standout will have to work his way up from the bowels of the minor leagues to fulfill his dream, as the 18-year-old pitcher/shortstop signed a free agent contact with the New York Mets on Friday morning.
Tijerina likely will begin his professional career in an instructional league in Florida or possibly playing in Venezuela, his high school coach Barton Bickerton said. He’s currently enrolled in summer school at Sharyland, where he hopes to graduate after the second session. Tijerina originally was planning to attend the Univeristy of Texas at Brownsville/Texas Southmost College.
“I’m not really surprised,” Bickerton said. “When I went over to (Tijerina’s) house for the signing, his family had all of his baseball uniforms from when he was a little kid. They have all of that stuff, like a museum. But that’s what baseball means for his family. He has a baseball family, that’s his sport, and he wants to make a career out of it.”
Tijerina was the staff ace for the Rattlers this past season, owning an 8-4 record on the mound with a 1.92 ERA in 69 1/3 innings pitched to go along with 78 strikeouts.
At the plate, Tijerina hit for a .315 average in 89 at-bats, along with adding 34 RBIs, 18 runs scored, three home runs, two triples, four doubles and 13 stolen bases on a Sharyland team that finished 25-8.
Tijerina participated in a tryout Thursday night at Sharyland, along with “10 or 11 guys from the Valley and four or five guys from Mexico,” Bickerton said. The Mets gave La Joya’s Juan Martinez a strong look as well, Bickerton said. Martinez plans to play in the fall with Texas A&M-International, his high school coach, Reuben Farias, said.
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Wade Baker covers high school baseball for The Monitor. You can reach him at (956) 683-4450.
Thursday, May 17
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Wade Baker
The Monitor
May 15, 2007 - 12:34AM
EDINBURG — Sitting in the front seat of a Dodge Charger with Cleveland Indians scout Les Pajari on Sunday afternoon, catcher Osiel Flores — less than one hour after playing in his final collegiate baseball game — became a professional.
Flores, a fifth-year senior catcher for the University of Texas-Pan American, had been in conversation with Pajari throughout the season. Pajari saw Flores play in parts of four games this season and called the senior Thursday morning as the Broncs were packing the team bus for the drive to Texas Christian University for the three-game weekend series.
Pajari told Flores that he was making the trip to Fort Worth with intentions of offering him a contract.
“After the game I went into the locker room, got dressed and then went outside and signed the contract in his car,” said Flores, whose fifth-year status gave him the option to sign as a free agent or enter June’s MLB draft. “It wasn’t fancy or anything. The car was nice, but I just pretty much signed a couple of times and it was done. It wasn’t exactly what you dreamed of. But I was in a hurry, too. The team bus was waiting behind us — all the guys were taking photos and stuff — but I was holding them up.”
The 6-foot, 190-pound Flores, a former Sharyland standout, made the switch from second base and shortstop to starting catcher this past season.
He hit for a .325 average — the second-best mark on the team — to go along with 27 RBIs and 26 runs scored.
Flores also threw out 15 runners attempting to steal this past season.
“The thing I liked about Osiel is his athletic ability,” said Pajari, the Indians’ South Texas scout. “I saw him in the Texas A&M series earlier this year and just fell in love with his work ethic. You never know how these things pan out. You can project like crazy, but you really just have to wait and see. But with Osiel you can tell that kid is dedicated. He has dedicated his life to baseball.”
After June’s MLB draft is complete, Flores will report to the Mahoning Valley Scrappers of the New York-Penn League. The Scrappers, located in Niles, Ohio, play a short-season schedule (76 games) from June 19 through Sept. 7.
“It took him about three weeks to make the transition to catcher,” said UTPA coach Willie Gawlik, whose team finished the season with a 17-36 record. “But after those three weeks, you could tell the game just slowed down for him. … And after that, his average started to skyrocket. Right now I’m just happy for Osiel, because he really deserves this opportunity.
“Like they say, he’s the first one here and the last one to leave. He has that type of work ethic.”
The 22-year-old Flores also was receiving interest from the Los Angeles Angels, Colorado Rockies, St. Louis Cardinals and Washington Nationals, he said. Had he went through the MLB draft in June, he likely would have been a late-round selection, “although it’s always tough to figure out what a team is thinking,” Pajari said.
But with his deal already signed with the Cleveland Indians, there will be no drama during the draft for Flores. Instead, he will be busy working out and packing his bags for the three-month stay with the Mahoning Valley Scrappers.
“It’s a dream come true,” Flores said. “I’m excited and everything, but probably not as much as most people would expect. But my ultimate goal is to get to the major leagues, and hopefully in a few years that’s where I’ll be.
“So I’m happy, but I’m not satisfied.”
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GOING SOUTH
Hawks end Rattlers' year in area round
By Paul Conatzer, Valley Morning Star
HARLINGEN — Harlingen South had one more comeback than Sharyland did.
Down by one run in the sixth, the Hawks scored twice to take a 5-4 victory in the rubber match of a three-game series against the Rattlers in a Class 5A area-round playoff game Saturday at Harlingen Field.
South advances to the regional quarterfinals for a meeting with Weslaco High (27-6). Details are to be determined.
“I woke up this morning, and I knew we were going to win. I didn’t know how, but I had a feeling,” South coach Tony Leal said. “Sharyland is a great team. This was a great series.”
The Hawks (31-4) won because they were aggressive on the bases, and Sharyland wasn’t able to come up with the defensive play.
After Sharyland rallied to take a 4-3 edge in the top of the sixth, South answered in the sixth.
Michael Johnson opened with a double to left off Sharyland starter David Perez. Sharyland coach Barton Bickerton made a pitching change and brought in Game 1 starter Ismael Tijerina, who retired Peter Maldonado on a pop-up.
Then Javier Torres (2-for-3, two runs scored), who drove in the game-winning run in Game 1, singled to right. Sharyland right-fielder Alex Ramirez made the throw to third and Johnson was held up. However, Torres took off to second, and Sharyland third baseman Tucker Oakley threw the ball into center field, allowing Johnson to score.
Torres came steaming around third, made contact with Oakley and stumbled. The third-base umpire didn’t hesitate to rule interference on Oakley and waved Torres home.
Game 1 winner Danny Gidora, pitching in relief of Brown, closed out the Rattlers (25-8).
“This was a tough way to lose,” Bickerton said. “They’re a great team. They just made some more plays than we did.”
Sharyland scrapped back from a 3-1 deficit to tie the game with two runs in the fourth on a single by Tijerina. The Rattlers took the lead in the sixth on a walk, a passed ball, a single and an error, but the Hawks turned two defensive plays to end the inning.
Maldonado, Brown and Johnson combined to double up Oakley at third as he was trying to advance on a fly ball to right field. Then Ramon made another big play, throwing out Tijerina on a steal attempt
Monday, May 7
Sweep Feeling: Rattlers roll past visiting Bulldogs
Pikey Rodriguez
May 5, 2007 - 2:25PM
MISSION — The Sharyland Rattlers are getting hot at the right time.
The Rattlers raced past the Laredo Alexander Bulldogs 10-1 on Friday in Game 2 to sweep their best-of-three Class 5A bi-district baseball series behind the strong pitching of sophomore right-hander Marco Rodriguez.
Sophomore third-baseman Tucker Oakley clubbed a grand slam to break open the game, as Sharyland pounded out 26 hits and scored 22 runs in two games. Sharyland captured Game 1 12-2 in six innings on Thursday.
“Right now my main concern (is) our injuries,” Sharyland coach Barton Bickerton said. “We need to get healthy. We’ve got some kids injured right now, but I hope getting an extra day off will help.”
Rodriguez (4-1) pitched six strong innings before giving way to David Perez in the seventh. Rodriguez allowed just two hits and was near perfect through the first four innings, allowing only a base on balls.
“Marco threw well today, and we were able to score some runs for him,” Bickerton said. “With Alex (Ramirez) injured, we started Marco. We don’t know if (Ramirez) will be able to pitch again because of an elbow injury.”
With Sharyland ahead 5-1 heading into the bottom of the fifth, Oakley drilled a 2-1 pitch over the left-field fence for his second home run of the season. Cesar Guerrero, who was 3-for-3 with two RBIs, drove in the other run as the Rattlers exploded for five runs to increase their advantage to 10-1.
“We just ran into a really good team,” Alexander coach Tim Bertholf said. “I’m pleased with the season we had. We got off to a slow start, and the kids really came around.”
Alexander (13-19) was making its 12th straight playoff appearance. The Bulldogs were 3-15 and 1-3 in district early in the year before winning 10 of their last 12 games to earn a postseason bid.
Robert Lopez (3-5) took the loss for Alexander. Juan Gonzalez also worked on the mound for the Bulldogs.
Sharyland (23-6) scored runs in all but the sixth inning. The Rattlers plated two runs in the first and solo runs in the second, third and fourth innings. All 10 runs came after two outs.
Ramirez singled across the first run of the game, and teammate Andre Rodriguez drew a bases-loaded walk to score another run in the first inning.
Guerrero walked and continued running to second, allowing Mario Orozco to score from third and increasing the lead to 3-0 after two innings.
Orozco entered the game to run for Marco Rodriguez, who singled.
Catcher Beto Ochoa added an RBI single in the third, and Ramirez doubled across a run in the fourth.
“It’s good getting to play teams that have eliminated us in the past during the playoffs,” Bickerton said. “The grand slam by Tucker really helped us out. Alexander had gotten within four runs of us. We squandered some runs early and they gave us a little scare, but we were able to respond.”
Sharyland advances to the area round where the Rattlers meet state-ranked Harlingen South. No. 7 South swept Los Fresnos in their best-of-three playoff series.
Wednesday, April 25
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By Wade Baker
April 20, 2007 - 11:32PM
LA JOYA — The Coyote howl is loud and strong.
For the third time this season — including a District 30-5A two-game sweep — No. 3 La Joya defeated No. 2 Sharyland 4-2 on Friday night at La Joya.
With the Rattlers (19-6, 8-2) known as the baseball factory of the Rio Grande Valley, the season sweep is another boost of confidence for the surging Coyotes (24-3, 9-1).
“I thank God everyday that he has given us a really good team, because I firmly believe teams have to play their best to beat us this year,” La Joya coach Reuben Farias said. “We knew coming in that if we wanted a chance to play for the district title that we needed this game. And like our guys have done all season, they came to play tonight.”
Sharyland missed out on the chance to wrap up the outright district title with a victory, only having district bottom feeders McAllen Memorial and Donna left on the schedule.
La Joya, on the other hand, still must face McAllen High and Rio Grande City — a pair of playoff-bound teams — to conclude its regular season schedule. So even with the win, the District 30-5A championship is far from settled.
“You want to beat the No. 1 seed no matter what,” Sharyland coach Barton Bickerton said. “But you know, you lose to the same team twice in district and chances are that’s probably not going to happen. But like last time, they came through in the clutch.”
The Coyotes tagged starter Ismael Tijerina (6-3) for nine hits, six coming during the decisive four-run third. La Joya used a trio of softly hit singles from Cruz Garcia, Adrian Pena and Javier Acevedo to begin the inning with the bases loaded and no outs.
Olie Hinojosa followed with a run-scoring double play, then teammate Miguel Peña answered with a clutch two-out RBI single for a 2-0 advantage. Juan Martinez and Danny Zuniga sandwiched a pair of RBI doubles to left around Roy Garcia’s single to finish off the four-run inning that saw six of eight batters reach base on hits.
“We need to close out our schedule like we did this game,” said La Joya starter Miguel Peña (7-2), who pitched a complete game three-hitter while throwing 120 pitches and going 2-for-2 at the plate with an RBI. “Sharyland is always the team to beat, so when you beat them three times in one season, you must be doing something right.”
Sharyland’s only serious scoring threat came during the top of the fifth, when the Rattlers responded with two runs on one hit and a pair of errors. But with runners on second and third with no outs, Peña wiggled out of the jam with little damage.
“Two out hits killed us,” Bickerton said. “Ismael is our guy on the mound, but he has to close the door with two outs. Those two-out hits, as they normally do, did us in tonight.”
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Wade Baker covers high school baseball for The Monitor. You can reach him at (956) 683-4450.
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Sunday, April 15
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By Pikey Rodriguez
April 14, 2007 - 12:13AM
MISSION — The Sharyland Rattlers continue to have McAllen High’s number.
Second-ranked Sharyland jumped out to a 5-0 lead and then held on for a 5-3 victory over fourth-ranked McHi in a District 30-5A showdown.
The Rattlers have now beaten the Bulldogs four times over the past two years.
“We just can’t seem to get over the hump,” said McHi coach Eliseo Pompa, who saw his squad fall to 19-7, 7-3 in district. “You can’t take anything away from Sharyland, because they have a good ballclub.”
Senior right-hander Alex Ramirez (4-0) pitched 6 2/3 innings before giving way to Ismael Tijerina, who gained credit for the save. Ramirez threw 112 pitches, allowed five hits and struck out three. Tijerina needed just two pitches to close out the contest on a solid fielding play by second baseman Cesar Guerrero.
“Alex is still not in pitching shape,” Sharyland coach Barton Bickerton said about his senior ace. “Hopefully he’ll be ready by playoff time.”
Sharyland (19-5, 8-1) and McHi already have secured postseason bids.
Ramirez also came up big with his bat, going 2-for-3. He drove in Sharyland’s second run of the game in the third inning, and Marco Rodriguez produced an RBI single in the second.
The Rattlers added two runs in the fourth on a solo home run by Andre Rodriguez and a successful double steal that plated David Perez, and the fifth run scored on a wild pitch in the fifth inning.
McHi started its rally in the sixth when losing pitcher Will Mettlach (2-4) tripled across Joaquin Hinojosa, who drew a walk. Whitney Lee clubbed a two-run home run in the seventh, scoring Albert Vizcaino (2-for-3), who singled to lead off the inning. Mettlach threw 98 pitches during six innings before giving way to Adrian Leal.
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April 9, 2007 - The Springfield Cardinals picked up their first win of the 2007 season on Monday night, knocking off the Frisco RoughRiders by a score of 6-2 at Dr. Pepper Ballpark in Frisco.
The young kids stepped up on Monday evening as a trio of 20-year olds helped the Cardinals avoid a fourth straight loss to open the year. Colby Rasmus and Bryan Anderson each collected two hits and two RBIs, while Jaime Garcia worked five innings in picking up a win in his Double-A debut.
A struggling Springfield offense exploded for four-first inning runs, taking some pressure off Garcia in his first outing of 2007. Rasmus put the Cards on the board at 1-0, doubling to right-center field to score Jon Jay, who also had two hits for Springfield. Rico Washington followed two batters later with a double of his own, plating Rasmus to make it 2-0. With two outs and two aboard, Anderson capped the inning with a double to left-center field, scoring a pair for a 4-0 Springfield lead.
The Cards added to their lead by getting a run in the second. After Frisco starter Kea Kometani (0-1) issued a two-out walk and allowed Reid Gorecki to steal second, Rasmus singled home Gorecki for the 5-0 advantage.
Garcia (1-0) was touched in the second, as he walked Saloman Manriquez and then gave up a two-run blast to left field by Kevin West, making it 5-2.
The Cardinals? starter left after five innings, allowing just two runs on five hits. He recorded five strike outs, issuing three walks.
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Sharyland completed a district sweep of Rio Grande City Tuesday night. After a first round win (3-0) the Rattlers defeated Rio 6-3 to stay in a tie with La Joya for 1st place in district.
Sharyland will play at home this Friday vs McHi @ 7:00. McHi sits in 2nd place with a 7-2 record.
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Sharyland sits tied for first in District 30 AAAAA. Sharyland and La Joya are 6-1, one game up on McHi and Rio Grande City who are 5-2.
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Baseball Picture Archive
Contact Information :
Zar Castillo
zar@zarphoto.com
Mobile - 956.648.1215
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35 Comer, Gage 45:53 7:23 190 156 Mission TX
36 Flores, Israel 52:59 8:32 364 303 Mission TX
70 Rowland, Bryan 56:37 9:07 480 394 Mission TX
52 Fuentes, Xavier 56:02 9:01 459 380 Edinburg TX
64 Kline, Casey 1:00:00 9:39 577 465 Mission TX
78 Brizuela, Matias 1:00:33 9:45 603 478 Mcallen TX
81 Rodriguez, Ricky 1:02:26 10:03 677 537 Mission TX
111 Rosales, Aaron 1:03:19 10:11 726 578 Mission TX
48 Bickerton, Coach 1:05:17 10:30 772 614 Mcallen TX
121 Brummel, Alex 1:07:32 10:52 823 652 Mission TX
102 Bickerton, Baylr 1:07:32 10:52 824 653 Mcallen TX
128 Berrones, Omar 1:10:44 11:23 908 698 Mission TX
133 Hernandez, Adan 1:11:52 11:34 931 714 Mission TX
140 Ramirez, Ray 1:13:55 11:54 979 745 Mission TX
145 Tijerina, Ismael 1:14:33 12:00 996 757 Mission TX
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A list of the top-hitters in the Valley and Corpus area. This website also has past records and stats for each team and all-time leaders in all hitting categories.