Trailing by four runs just five batters into their final game of the Brown County Baseball Tournament, the Brownwood Lions had the potential game-winning run at the plate when the final out was recorded, as the Andrews Mustangs escaped with a 7-4 victory Saturday night at Morris Southall Field.
“We have to realize there is going to be another game, another at-bat, another opportunity,” said Lions head coach Blake Sandford. “The opportunity to be a great baseball team didn’t change with the outcome of this game. It’s imperative we realize that, realize that we are doing a good job and that we’re fighting hard. The sun is going to come up tomorrow and we’re going to continue to get after it.”
Trailing 7-3 in the bottom of the fifth and final inning, due to a two-hour time limit, Jordyn Nickerson led off with a single to center field and Gavin Brandstetter walked against relief pitcher Brycen Diaz. Later during Logan Posey’s at-bat, Nickerson scored on a wild pitch to cut the deficit to 7-4. Posey then followed with a walk and, with one out, Jack Field drew a free pass to fill the sacks. But Diaz was able to retire Austin Wright and David Turner to end the Brownwood threat.
Andrews (4-2) grabbed a 4-0 lead in the top of the first inning as Aidyn Olivas walked, Gage Perri singled, Cooper Ivison walked, Daylon Jefcoats followed with a two-RBI double, and Diaz chipped in a two-RBI single off Lions starting pitcher Eli Hill.
David Turner came on in relief and limited Andrews to three runs on one hit with five walks and three strikeouts over four innings. Wright also pitched an inning of scoreless relief, yielding three hits to go with three strikeouts.
The Lions closed the gap to 4-1 in the bottom of the second as Cole Miller singled and advanced to second base on an error in the outfield. Jack Field followed with an RBI single to left field.
Andrews stretched the lead back to 5-1 in the third as Diaz was plunked by a pitch to start the frame and scored on an RBI sacrifice fly by Evan Munoz.
Brownwood crept within 5-3 in the bottom of the fourth as Posey started the inning with a solo home run off the scoreboard against Andrews starting pitcher Kade Adams. Miller then doubled down the left field line and Field followed with an RBI double. Dario Rodriguez then reached on error, but Diaz came on in relief to foil the Lions’ threat.
Andrews, which left 10 runners on the base paths, fired back with two runs in the top of the fifth as both Brayden Williams and Grayson Martindale walked and scored on RBI singles by Olivas and Perri.
The Lions generated six hits in the game – two each by Miller and Field, and one apiece by Posey and Nickerson – and left six base runners stranded.
Brownwood (4-1-1) is currently scheduled to visit Abilene High at 6 p.m. Tuesday.
