Tuesday, March 5

Spain Park completes the doubleheader sweep with a big 6th inning in the nightcap. 

On a chilly Tuesday night, Spain Park pulled ahead late to beat Brooks High School by a score of 8-3. 2020 RHP Jaxson Lucas got the start for the Jaguars, throwing 3 innings, allowing 2ER, 3 hits, and 1BB while striking out 4. 2020 Austin Gothard and 2019 Will May combined to throw the last 4 innings, striking out 4 Lions hitters and allowing just 1 baserunner, who reached on an error. Gothard paired a straight, but hard fastball with a 12/6 breaking ball that showed good depth. In contrast, May threw from a much lower arm slot with arm side run and a frisbee breaking ball that kept the Lions hitters off balance.

Brooks got a strong start from 2019 LHP Joseph Tapp. While he struggled at time with control, he showed a lot of grit in his 4+ innings of work, allowing just 1ER and 2 hits to go along with 3K’s.

Brooks struck first, taking a 2-0 lead after stringing together 3 straight hits in the top of the first, highlighted by an RBI double deep into the left-center field gap by Carson Villalta, the #74 player in our 2020 rankings. Spain Park answered with a run in the bottom of the first before both pitchers settled into a groove for the next few innings. The Lions extended their lead to 3-1 in the top of the 5th after 2020 Charlie Crowley came around to score after reaching on an error to start the inning.

2020 Matthew Robbins led off the bottom of the 6^th with a double down the right field line. After the next batter walked, 2 straight errors by the Lions infield pulled the Jaguars within 1. It appeared the Lions would escape without any further damage, as the next two Jags hitters went down swinging  but 2019 John Poist had other plans. The senior shortstop ripped a 2-out bases clearing double just inside the 3^rd base bag. He would come around to score as Lane Willis followed him with a double off the left field wall and Robbins would add his 2^nd double of the inning to score two more. When the dust had settled in the 6^th, Spain Park had taken an 8-3 lead, which would hold as the final score.

Spain Park also won Game 1 by a score of 10-1.