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Talking high school sports

The latest El Paso Times-KTSM high school sports podcast is now available. This week, the focus is the baseball playoff losses of Socorro and Ysleta.

To download or listen to the podcast, click here.

Baseball regional semis: Socorro wins marathon, 17-16 over Flower Mound

Here at the El Paso Times, we pride ourselves on high-quality work. However, the story I filed for Game 1 of the Socorro-Flower Mound baseball series at Christensen Stadium in Midland was attrocious. A four-hour game that pushes you up against deadline will do that to you sometimes.

So, I felt obligated to flush out some details of a game that was one for the classic reels. I've also capped this blog with a box score (minus the at-bats).

Socorro won this game 17-16 in regulation, a marathon that lasted three hours, 57 minutes. It was the weirdest, most bizarre high school baseball game I've ever seen.

There were five lead changes and five ties in this game, and just when you thought one team was had taken the momentum for good, the other would dramatically surge back.

Both teams combined for 25 hits with the wind blowing hard out of centerfield for most of the game. Socorro edged the Jaguars by a mere one run and one hit.

Flower Mound used six pitchers - none of whom was its top two pitchers - while Socorro needed three.

Socorro went up 2-0 after the first inning, thanks to a 2-RBI single by Tavi Amparan, but the Jaguars quickly jumped ahead 3-2 on a three-run home run by Ty Wheeler (2-for-4 with a home run, a triple and five RBI's) the next inning.

It became 3-3 when Jessiray Navarrette came in on a wild pitch that same inning, but Flower Mound went up 8-3 in the top of the third.

It appeared Socorro was done at that point - unless you actually know the Bulldogs.

A team never out of any game, Socorro strung together an astonishing nine runs in the bottom of the third.

Tavi Amparan took the first pitch and blasted it over the fence for a three-run homer to begin the rally.

Down now 8-6, Gabriel Aguilar singled home Bobby Mares and Louie Saenz four batters later to tie the game.

Five runs in, and Socorro still had no outs on the board.

Mares put the Bulldogs up 9-8 by singling in Navarrette, and Flower Mound walked Aaron Olivas to bring in courtesy runner Danny Muniz for a 10-8 lead.

Socorro's first out of the inning came on a sacrifice fly by Cory Falvey, but that brought in Danny Loya and George Stoltz came in on a bad throw to third base by the second baseman.

Flower Mound finally got out of the inning, but down 12-8.

For the 60-minute inning, Socorro used 14 batters and led off with four consecutive hits. They scored seven runs before getting an out and finished it with seven hits and four walks.

However, Flower Mound continued to chip away.

Ryan Akins, who finished the night 4-for-5 with five RBI's and hit for the cycle, sent a two-run home run to the opposite field and cut the deficit to two.

Flower Mound then went ahead 13-12 in the top of the fifth inning, before Socorro tied it in the home half of the inning.

(Aguilar left the mound during in the fifth inning, having pitched 4 and 1/3 innings. He allowed a season-high 12 earned runs, while walking five batters and throwing 115 pitches)

Socorro appeared to have the game well in hand after Amparan retired three of four batters to start the sixth and after the Bulldogs scored three in the bottom half.

To recap Socorro's sixth inning scoring, Olivas took a 1-2 pitch and singled in Aguilar, then Falvey singled to center field to plate George Stoltz and Olivas.

But you just knew this one wasn't going to go away easy.

Akins tripled in two runs, and Flower Mound added another to - yep, you guessed it - tie the game once again.

Socorro was in trouble with only one out, but it turned a 6-4-3 double play to end the threat.

Then, finally - mercifully - the game came to a close.

Amparan led off with a walk, Mares struck out swinging, Louie Saenz singled to right field, Navarrette struck out swinging, and Aguilar was intentionally walked.

Thanks to a double steal during Aguilar's at-bat, Socorro loaded the bases and up came nine-hole hitter Danny Loya with two outs on the board.

The scene was set for a dramatic finish, but rather anti-climactically, Loya was hit in the head on the first pitch to plate courtesy runner Roger Favela for the game-winner.

I hope this re-cap has helped those who weren't able to listen to or watch this grueling contest, and I'm sure these two teams will give fans more to cheer about when the series resumes today (Saturday).

BOX SCORE

Socorro 17, Flower Mound 16

Flower Mound 035 230 3 - 16 12 4

Socorro 219 013 1 - 17 13 0

WP-Tavi Amparan.

LP-Chris Smith.

2B: Socorro: Jessiray Navarrette; Cory Falvey. Flower Mound: Ryan Akins; Pecos Fulfer; Max Lamantia; Chase Durham.

3B: Flower Mound: Ty Wheeler; Akins.

HR-Flower Mound: Wheeler (3-run); Ryan Akins (2-run). Socorro: Tavi Amparan (3-run).

RBI-Flower Mound: Wheeler (5); Akins (5); Pecos Fulfer (2); Durham (2); Mitch Lehman (1). Socorro-Tavi Amparan: (5); Aguilar (2); Danny Loya (2); Aaron Olives (2); Falvey (3); Bobby Mares (1).

Records-Socorro: 36-3. Flower Mound: 20-14-2.

Talking high school sports

The latest El Paso Times-KTSM high school sports podcast is now available.

To download or listen to the podcast, focusing on the baseball teams of Socorro and Ysleta, click here.

Socorro baseball in the playoffs

Anything short of the Final Four (state tournament) will be a disappointment for those in the Socorro baseball community. Expectations are at an all-time high for what is believed to be the city's first-ever nationally ranked high school baseball team.

The Bulldogs (33-2) are ranked No. 12 in the nation by USA Today and are No. 4 by the Texas High School Baseball Coaches Association.

Socorro has reached the Class 5A regional finals twice, including an appearance in 2006, but have gone no further.

They have swept their first two playoff opponents this spring (Lubbock, Mansfield Summit).

This weekend, the Bulldogs will head into their eighth regional quarterfinal series since 1991, fifth since 2003.

Their next opponent is Abilene (21-11), which is making its first playoff appearance since 2005. That series will begin Friday (May 16) and continue Saturday at Christensen Stadium in Midland.

Ysleta baseball making history

Just a couple quick notes on Ysleta baseball.

From what Ysleta baseball head coach David Aragon tells me, this is the first time the team has made it past the Class 4A area playoff round.

This is the 10th attempt in 15 years under Aragon.

Coaches and players point to heart, attitude and team unity as factors for finally getting over the hump.

Seniors Carlos Maese and Ruben Barrientos, along with junior Robert Gonzalez, have led the way both offensively and on the mound for Ysleta.

Ysleta is coming off its second District 2-4A title in three years. They finished as co-champs with Riverside this year.

Next up for the Indians is 4-4A champ Lubbock Estacado (25-7) in a best-of-three series beginning Friday (May 16) at Kokernot Field at Sul Ross State University in Alpine, Texas.

Estacado advanced to the 4A regional finals last season and has advanced to the Sweet 16 (regional semifinals) four of the past five seasons. They made it to the regional quarterfinals in 2006.

Talking high school sports

The latest high school sports podcast is now available.

KTSM's Beau Bagley joins John Erfort and Matt Johnson from the El Paso Times to talk about high school sports, including Socorro baseball being nationally ranked.

To listen to or download the podcast, click here.

Franklin stuns Texas No. 1 Socorro 4-3 in baseball!

Anyone who wasn't at Franklin High School today - including myself because I was covering district track and field - missed a classic and a stunner in baseball, as El Paso's second-ranked Cougars shocked Texas No. 1 Socorro 4-3.

I've provided the box score called into us by Franklin coaches, as well as Franklin head coach Larry Vucan's account of the game.

You can also get a recap of the game at www.franklincougarbaseball.org

Franklin 4, Socorro 3
Socorro 200 001 0 - 3 9 1
Franklin 100 200 1 - 4 10 1
WP-John Paul Haskins. LP-Bobby Mares.
HR-Socorro: Tavi Amparan.
Leading hitters—Franklin: Michael Kaltenbach was 3-for-3; Nick Hinojos was 1-for-2; John Bramble was 1-for-4, game-inning RBI-single; Carlos Barreras was 1-for-2, RBI; Josh Blanco earned a no-decision but had 9 strike-outs in six innings. Socorro: Amparan was 1-for-3, 2RBI; George Stoltz was 2-for-4; Mares was 1-for-3; Jessiray Navarette was 1-for-2.
Records-Franklin, 14-6-1 15-6-1 (8-2). Socorro, 24-1 (9-1).

Larry Vucan:

1st inning - "They (Bulldogs) got a lead-off single by George Stoltz, then Tavi Amparan hit a two-run homerun over the centerfield fence. Their starting pitcher, Bobby Mares, struck out two then their third baseman, George Stoltz, made an error on Carlos Santos' ball. We got a pass ball, and we ended up at second base, then Nick Hinojos singled him (Santos) home up the middle. So, it was 2-1 after one inning."

4th inning - "In the bottom of the fourth, our lead-off was Nick Hinojos, and he was walked, then (John) Bramble flew out to center and Michael Kaltenbach (3-for-3) singled to right, then he went to second on a pass ball. Blanco singled, then Carlos Barreras singled home Hinojos. We squeezed, and Oscar Payan put down a bunt for an RBI. They got the out, but we got the run. That gave us a 3-2 lead.

6th inning - "The sixth inning was very interesting. They get a lead-off single by Chuy Diaz and another single by Jessiray Navarette, and Blanco strikes out Danny Loya for our first out. Stoltz singles, but it was hit hard and nobody could score so the bases were loaded. Blanco picks off Chuy Diaz at third, and we walked Aaron Olivas and now the bases are loaded again and we've got two outs. (Cory) Falvey strikes out on a swing and miss, but it gets past our catcher and the run scores from third. That run was Jessiray Navarette. The other runner that was at second tries to score as well, but we nailed him at home. After six innings, it was 3-3.

7th inning - "In the bottom, this is how it ended. Our lead-off, Anthony Morales, singled, Chuck Duarte had a sacrifice bunt to move him over, and our three-hole hitter, Carlos Santos, singled to center but he bloop-singled it and we had to hold Morales. Then comes Nick Hinojos, and they walked him. So, that made it bases loaded, and it brought our our right fielder, Bramble. He singled hard to left field, and it scored Anthony Morales for the winning run."

"It was a hard-fought game. They (Bulldogs) were as good as I thought they were. ... (After the 6-1 loss to Socorro on March 11), we continued to fight and showed great courage, not only throughout the year but also in this game. It was a great, great game, and one of the biggest crowds I've seen since I've been coaching here."

"We had 10 hits and all of them were singles, and they had only one extra-base hit. We (totaled) 19 hits, and 18 of them were singles." 

Talking high school sports

The latest high school sports podcast is now available.

KTSM's Beau Bagley and John Erfort of the El Paso Times talk about boys and girls soccer, as well as baseball and softball.

To download or listen to the podcast, click here.

Talking high school sports

The latest high school sports podcast is now available. John Erfort and Lenny Jurado chat about soccer, baseball and more.

To listen to or download the podcast, click here.

Talking high school sports

In the latest El Paso Times high school sports podcast, John Erfort and Lenny Jurado talk about baseball and much more.

To listen to or download the podcast, click here.