Sudan rallies against Tahoka, win program’s first gold glove

The Sudan Hornets’ varsity baseball team took down the Tahoka Bulldogs in game three Saturday afternoon, 14-6, to claim the programs first gold glove in their two-year existance.

With the win, the Hornets improve to 19-7 overall on the year.

In the top of the first inning, Jaibryn Ornelas grounded out to Braydn Gutierrez at second base for out number one, but Trent Wilson drew a walk and Cal Carter followed it up with a hard hit ball to shorstop and reached on an error by Brogan Stone, putting runners on first and second for the Hornets with one out.

Wilson and Carter stole third and second, before Caleb Groetken grounded out to Stone at shortstop for out number two, however, Wilson scored on the play and Carter advanced to third to make the score, 1-0. Jesus Salas grounded out to the pitcher, Martin Vera-Carlton to retire the side.

In the home-half of the first inning, Derek Rosa got the lead-off man, Jordan Hicks to pop up to Groetken in foul territory at first base for out number one. Cayden Gutierrez drew a walk and Sam Kessler singled on a fly ball to center field, moving Cayden Gutierrez over to third with one out. Kessler stole second and Dante Garcia followed it up with an RBI-single to right field, tying the game, 1-1, with Kessler on third.

Julian Salas caught a foul tip by Bradyn Gutierrez for out number two and Derek Rosa got Bek McKlesky to strike out swinging to end the inning.

Julian Salas got the second inning going for Sudan with a single on an error by Bradyn Gutierrez at second base, bringing Kasen Kauffman on as the courtesy runner for the catcher. Marcello King singled on a fielder’s choice to Vera-Carlton on the mound, who got the out at second, but the throw to first was off the mark by Bradyn Gutierrez, allowing King to advance to third on the play with one out.

Derek Rosa hit a sacrifice grounder to Bradyn Gutierrez at second base, allowing King to score and reclaim the lead for Sudan, 2-1, and Eric rosa struck out swinging to retire the side.

The Hornets kept the Bulldogs quiet in the bottom of the second inning, as Vera-Carlton popped up to Eric Rosa in right field, Jordan Martinez grounded out to Jesus Salas at third base and Stone popped up to King at second base to end the inning.

Ornelas came to the plate for his second at bat of the game to begin the third inning and singled to right field, but Wilson flew out to Hicks in left field for out number one. Carter reached on an error by Stone at shortstop, putting runners on first and second for the Hornets, but Groetken grounded out to Bradyn Gutierrez at second base, moving Ornelas over to third to put runners on the corners for Sudan.

Carter stole second on a pitch and Jesus Salas knocked a two-RBI double into left field scoring Ornelas and Carter to push their lead to, 4-1. A balk by Vera-Carlton put Jesus Salas on third, but Julian Salas struck out swinging to retire the side.

In the bottom half of the third, Hicks flew out to Wilson in center field for out number one, but Cayden Gutierrez singled to left field and he stole second on a pitch before Kessler drew a walk, putting two runners on for Tahoka. Hector Villegas came on as a courtesy runner for Kessler and Garcia hit a grounder to Carter at shortstop and reached on an error, leaving runners on second and third for the Bulldogs with one out.

Bradyn Gutierrez hit a sacrifice fly to Wilson in center field, allowing Cayden Gutierrez to tag up and score from third, trimming the lead to, 4-2 and McClesky hit a fly ball to right field and reached on an error by Eric Rosa, allowing Villegas to score to cut the lead to, 4-3, with runners on second and third. Sudan, though, would get out of the inning, as Vera-Carlton grounded out to King at second base to end the inning.

Both teams went scoreless through the fourth inning, but in the top of the fifth, Wilson got things going for Sudan with a single to Stone at shortstop. Wilson would steal second, before Carter hit a ground ball to second base and reached on an error by Bradyn Gutierrez, putting runners on the corners for the Hornets. Groetken reached on an error by Vera-Carlton on the mound to load the bases for Sudan and Jesus Salas hit a sacrifice grounder to Miller Norwood at first base, allowing Wilson to score and Carter and Groetken to advance to third and second with one out, making the score, 5-3.

Julian Salas grounded out to Martinez at third base for out number two, but a few plays later, Carter scored on a wild pitch, as Groetken advanced to third, pushing their lead to, 6-3. King singled on an error by Vera-Carlton on the mound, as Groetken scored to extend their lead to, 7-3. Derek Rosa singled to right field, moving King over to third.

Eric Rosa reached on a catcher’s interference call to load the bases for Sudan, but Ornelas struck out looking to retire the side.

The Hornets got the Bulldogs to go three-up-and-three-down in the bottom half of the fifth, as Kessler grounded out to King at second base, Garcia struck out swinging and Bradyn Gutierrez grounded out to Derek Rosa on the mound to end the inning.

The Hornets took their lead into the top of the sixth, as Wilson struck out looking for out number one. Carter roped a double into center field and Groetken drew a walk. Bradyn Gutierrez relieved Vera-Carlton on the mound, before Jesus Salas struck out looking for out number two. Julian Salas was hit by a pitch to load the bases for Sudan, as Kauffman came on to run for the catcher.

Carter scored on a past ball as the runners advanced to second and third with the score stretched to, 8-3. King hit a fly ball to Cayden Gutierrez in center field and reached on an error as two runs scored to extend their lead to, 103. Derek Rosa was hit by a pitch, but Eric Rosa struck out swinging to retire the side.

In the home half of the sixth, McClesky drew a lead-off walk, but Vera-Carlton struck out swinging for out number one. McClesky took second on a wild pitch, but Martinez popped up to Groetken in foul territory for out number two. Stone singled to left field putting runners on the corners for Tahoka. Jesus Salas relieved Derek Rosa on the mound, as McClesky would go on to score on a past ball, trimming the lead to, 10-4, before Hicks singled to left field to drive in another run and make the score, 105.

Jesus Salas would get Cayden Gutierrez to strike out looking to end the inning, taking the game into the seventh inning.

In the top of the seventh, Wilson struck out looking for out number one, but Carter singled to center field and Groetken singled on a grounder to second base, putting two runners on for Sudan. Carter advanced to third, before Jesus Salas struck out looking for out number two. Julian Slas would rip a two-RBI double to left field, advancing to third on an error by Hicks with the score stretched to, 12-5.

Kauffman came on as the courtesy runner for the catcher, before King singled to right field to score Kauffman from third, making the score, 13-5. King scored on a past ball, before Derek Rosa singled on a fly ball to right field, making the score, 14-5. Derek Rosa was caught stealing by Garcia to retire the side.

Tahoka would push one run across in the bottom of the seventh, but Sudan went on to take the contest, 14-6, and the series 21.

Derek Rosa pitched 5.2 innings giving up five hits, three walks and five runs, three earned, while earning six strikeouts. Jesus Salas came on in relief duty giving up two hits and one run, while earning two strikeouts.

The Hornets will take on Clarendon in a three-game sereis in the 2A Area round of the playoffs. Details are TBA.