Walks cost Alice baseball in Game 3 playoff loss to Floresville
The Alice baseball team was hoping the magic from forcing a decisive third game of the area series with Floresville would carry over on Saturday at Cabaniss Baseball Field.
A team that has been able to rally at times this season and shown resiliency, did again on Saturday, scrapping and plating three runs in the sixth inning, but the Coyotes ran out of steam as Floresville earned a 7-3 win to win the series 2-1 and end Alice's season.
The Coyotes rallied for two runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to force Game 3, but walks hurt Alice on Saturday as four pitchers combined for eight free passes in the winner-take-all game.
With the win, Floresville advanced to face Calallen in the Class 4A regional quarterfinals.
The big inning
Floresville broke through with a single from Luke Cardenas to take a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning, but the fifth inning dealt the big blow.
The Tigers had three singles and four walks as Nader Gulamhuseim, the Game 1 winner, Andrew Salinas, Cardenas and Jacob Guevara all notched RBIs in the six-run frame.
Floresville sent 10 batters to the plate in the inning and held a 7-0 lead while Guevara, the Tigers' starting pitcher had held Alice to one hit through five innings.
Showing resiliency
Alice No. 9 hitter Justin Arellano drew a leadoff walk as Guevera's last batter and after a pitching change, Matt Carrillo reached on an error scoring the first run.
Landon Rodriguez followed with a single and an error brought Arellano home before a wild pitch plated a third run.
"That is how our season has been — we've come from behind a number of times," Alice coach Gonzie Trevino said. "I'm new here, but what we are trying to sell is a belief system. I think sometimes these kids have to perform in order to believe."
With Coyotes fans worked into a frenzy, Cardenas, on in relief of Guevara, struck out Emede Lozano looking and induced a foul pop to get two key outs and douse the rally.
Laying the foundation
Qualifying for the playoffs in a district with two top 10-ranked teams and perennial powerhouses Robstown and Bishop, Trevino said the team set a foundation to build from.
"When they started to believe in their preparation and they start to believe in their planning, then they started to play," Trevino said. "That formula worked out for us this year.
"I think it laid a good foundation for us moving forward."
More: 'So what, next pitch': Resilient Alice hopes comeback win keeps momentum going
This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: Walks cost Alice baseball in Game 3 playoff loss to Floresville
