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CONROE ISD TOURNAMENT
vs. Grand Oaks Grizzlies, Thursday February 27th
The Spartans would travel to Grand Oaks High School to open the Conroe ISD Tourney for the first of 5 games in 3 days. Junior Drew Emery would get the ball from Coach Josh Hall. The big right-hander would respond in a big way…throwing a complete game, scattering 3 hits and only allowing 1 earned run while striking out 3 Grizzlies. The offense made a statement in the first inning by posting 2 quick runs to jump out on top. Senior Owen Bennett would set the table with a walk, and Junior Luke Zilafro was then hit by a pitch to put runners at 1st and 2nd. Senior Blake Barry would drive in Bennett with a sharp single to centerfield. Zilafro would come around to score on a Zack Christie RBI single, making the score 2-0. The Stratford offense would break out in a big way in the top of the 3rd inning. Bennett and Zilafro would again reach on a walk and hit-by-pitch to set the table for Barry. The big senior would deposit a 3-1 fastball over the leftfield fence for his first BOMB of the year and give the Spartans a 5-1 lead. Sparty would extend their lead to 7-1 in the 5th. Sophomore Ryan Lamon would drive home courtesy runner Jack McAfee, and Will McCarroll would wear a fastball to plate Blake Barry, who reached on a hit-by-pitch. The lead would grow to 10-1 in the 6th on RBIs from Chris Johnson, Lamon, and McCarroll. Emery would get the final three outs to record his second win of the year and kick off the tournament with a major statement.
Highlights
vs. Aldine Davis High School, Thursday February 27th
Game 2 saw Stratford take on Aldine Davis to close Day 1. The boys' bats continued their hot streak in the top of the 1st. Sophomore Ryan Lamon led off with a single to left. Senior Owen Bennett would follow with a double to left to put two on for Junior Luke Zilafro. He would respond with a single to center, plating Lamon. Bennett and Zilafro would score on an Aldine Davis error, making it 3-0. Junior Matthew De Jager would single to center and Senior Peter Vescovo would reach on another Aldine error. After a Jack McAfee walk, Senior Pacer Daniel would single home De Jager and Vescovo to make it 5-0. Lamon would continue the hit train with his second single in the inning, scoring Junior Jack McAfee. Bennett followed suit with a single to plate Daniel, making it 7-0 at the end of the first inning. Great start by the Spartans.
Senior Ford Givens would be on the bump and disappoint he did not! The Washington University commit dominated the Davis Falcons all night. The big lefty went 4 innings, allowing only 1 hit and striking out 5. He was dominant all night, only allowing 2 base runners. Stratford would add two more runs in the second inning after a double by Senior Chris Johnson and an RBI ground-out by De Jager. Vescovo laced a ball to centerfield that the defender couldn’t corral, scoring Senior Raines Denman, who reached on a hit-by-pitch. At the end of the second, it was Spartans 9, Falcons 0. Stratford would add 6 more runs with more bats banging baseballs all over the field. Seniors Lucas Dominguez, Jackson Golden, Burke Malloy, Vescovo, and Cole Youngblood would join the party, piling up hits and RBIs to end the game early by score of 15-0.
Highlights
vs. Tomball Memorial Wildcats, Friday February 28th
It was a picture-perfect day for baseball in Game 3! Stratford would face a tough opponent in the Wildcats to open Day 2. Sophomore right-hander Quinn Fitzpatrick strolled to the mound for the first inning on a chamber of commerce day in Conroe, Texas. The Wildcats would get two runners on in the first but fail to do any damage as Quinn worked around a bunt single and a walk by striking out 3 to get out of the mini-jam. The two teams would trade outs all game with the starting pitchers being the stars of this show on this day. Fitzpatrick kept the Wildcats off-balance all day. The lanky right-hander only allowed 4 base runners in 5 innings while striking out 6. It was a dominant performance in his second Varsity start of his career.
The defense and the pitching were the story as this game progressed. Two big defensive plays kept the Wildcats off the scoreboard. In the second inning, with runners at first and second, Senior Rylan Reichenau ranged to his left and made a diving stop to throw the batter out at first to keep runners on second and third with 2 outs in the inning. Fitzpatrick would strike out the next batter to end the inning. The Spartans would threaten in the home half of the 5th. Senior Owen Bennett would open the inning with a walk. Reichenau would follow with a bunt single that ignited the dugout after he beat the throw to first. After Junior Zack Christie sacrificed the runners to second and third, the boys were unable to push a run across, keeping the game knotted at zero. In the 6th, the Wildcats would threaten again. Junior right-hander Will McCarroll would enter in relief for Fitzpatrick. The Wildcats put two runners on with 1 out. Tomball Memorial would single to left and that is when Senior Burke Malloy would turn in the second web gem of the game. His throw to home to cut down the runner was an absolute laser to Junior catcher Luke Zilafro, who applied the tag at home to keep the game scoreless. McCarroll would get the third out of the inning on a strikeout leading to an eruption of emotion from the Spartan dugout.
When the bottom of the 7th came around, the score was still 0-0, and Sparty had a final chance to break the tie. With 1 out, Reichenau hit a sharp ground ball to the hole at short, and the defender was unable to make the play. Coach Hall would roll the dice in the bottom of the 7th and send Reichenau on a steal of second on the first pitch. SAFE! Pinch-hitter Matthew De Jager would then deposit the next pitch into left field and send Reichenau racing around third to score the winning run and walk off game 3 with a monster victory, 1-0! The defensive and pitching efforts along with timely hitting and brilliant coaching moves in this one will make it one to remember this season.
Highlights
vs. Caney Creek High School, February 28th,
Game 4 saw Stratford travel to Conroe High School to take on Caney Creek. Senior Nick Gioco would open the game for the Spartans and not disappoint. He would go 2 innings, only allowing 1 hit, and striking out a game-high 3 batters. Stratford would rack up 6 more hits in only 4 1/2 innings of play due to the time limit and run rule. They would go on to beat Caney Creek 8-0, another shutout, the third game in a row of allowing ZERO runs. Seniors Blake Barry, Gavin Mundwiller, and Peter Vescovo would contribute with RBI base-hits, while Junior Brandon Phillips added 2 hits and an RBI from the lead-off spot. Junior Jack Henry Carl would partner with Senior Burke Malloy to come on in relief to hold the opponent scoreless over the final 3 innings. Another great all-around performance by the offense and pitching staff to remain undefeated going in to Game 5 on Saturday.
Highlights
vs. Strake Jesuit Crusaders, March 1st
The finale would face the Spartans against a friendly foe and neighbor in Strake Jesuit. University of Houston Senior commit Caden Cooper had waited his turn in the rotation all weekend for this start. A big-time player in a big-time game with a chance to get his team to 5-0 on the weekend. Mr. Cooper was ready for the Crusaders. As expected, and proven by Cooper, he would answer the call and give his team a chance to win with his dominant performance on the bump. The Senior would go 6 innings, striking out 13, and allowing only 3 runs on the day. The Crusaders were able to scratch across a few runs, but it just wasn’t enough to answer the Spartans' bats on this day. Stratford would pound out 11 hits that resulted in 13 runs in support of Cooper.
The defensive effort behind Caden was once again stellar and championship-worthy, committing zero errors in route to a 13-3 victory. Senior Chris Johnson was perfect at the plate on the day contributing 3 hits in 3 at-bats, while driving in 3. Seniors Owen Bennett, Rylan Reichenau, and Peter Vescovo would provide RBI singles to power the offensive attack. The onslaught didn’t stop…Juniors Brandon Phillips, Luke Zilafro, and Matthew De Jager would contribute as well with multiple hits and RBIs. At the end of the tournament, the Spartans would tally 47 runs scored while only allowing 5 runs against them and posting a 5-0 record for the weekend. It was a great way to bounce back and make a statement!
Highlights
This week for the Spartans:
Tuesday March 4th vs. Bridgeland @ Bridgeland HS, 7:00 pm
LEANDER ISD TOURNAMENT, Leander Texas