Azriel Vargas, Parker Johnson pitch well as Sunray edges Gruver for top seed in 1-2A
FRITCH — The game between District 1-2A co-champions Gruver and Sunray was officially a contest to determine playoff seeds. Regardless of the result, the two teams would go down in the stat books as co-champions of the district.
The only difference is one team would get a No. 1 and No. 2 distinction at the start of the postseason.
With all that in mind, both teams knew that Monday’s tilt was a de-facto district championship — even if it was required to determine playoff seeds. Sunray won the first game of the season with ease against a Gruver team with one day of practice, the Greyhounds bounced back with a comeback win a few weeks ago.
The rubber match was for the ultimate bragging rights and set the winner up on a date against Shamrock in the bi-district playoff round.
With all of Bobcat and Greyhound fans in attendance at Sanford-Fritch, Azriel Vargas and Parker Johnson combined for a stellar pitching effort as Sunray secured a 2-1 victory and earned the right to call itself 1-2A champion of 2023.
"Our goal from day one was to be district champs and get that one seed," Sunray coach Chuck Graves said. "We went the long way about doing it, but we did it. The kids knew they were capable of it and we knew they were too and we got it done."
Offensively, it only took two runs from Sunray (18-4) at the very start of the game to get the victory. Thanks in part to some solid pitching from a pair of hurlers.
Vargas scored on an error in the top of the first while Ivan De La Rosa scored on a wild pitch in the same inning. Briggs Satterfield crossed home plate on a dropped third strike to cut the deficit in half, but Gruver (12-6) couldn't get any closer than that.
The Bobcats can thank their pitching, which included Vargas striking out six, while allowing one hit and a walk with the one unearned run in a three-inning start. In order to preserve Vargas for the playoffs this weekend, Graves opted to pull him before the fourth.
The Bobcats didn't skip a beat as Johnson was just as effective. He allowed just one hit while walking two batters and striking out four in four innings — shutting the door on the triumph.
"That was very important," Vargas said. "Pitching had to be on point today and it was. Me and Parker pitched really well and did what we needed to do."
While Sunray earned the right to play Shamrock in a three-game series — the first contest set for 5 p.m. Friday with the second game set for 10 a.m. Saturday. A third game, if required, would be played 45 minutes at the conclusion of Game 2.
Gruver is slated face off against Memphis. The playoff pairing was not available by the Globe-News local print deadline. Full pairings can be found on www.amarillo.com/sports.
"I honestly believe we're not defined by one game," Gruver coach Khris Kelp said. "We're not defined by a sport in general. We just keep fighting and doing the things that we know how to do and try to play clean baseball and hit the ball. We've just got to keep that same approach moving into the playoffs."
District 1-2A baseball
Seeding game
Sunray 2, Gruver 1
Sunray 200 000 0— 2 3 0
Gruver 001 000 0 — 1 2 4
Sunray - Azriel Vargas, Parker Johnson (4) and Ivan De La Rosa. Gruver -Jefferson Weaver, Sutton Ward (5) and Brock Butler. W — Vargas (N/A). L — Weaver (N/A). 2B — Sunray, None. Gruver, None. 3B — Sunray, None. Gruver, None.
Records: Sunray 18-4, Gruver 12-6.
This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Azriel Vargas, Parker Johnson pitch solid as Sunray edges Gruver for top seed in 1-2A
