Moody capitalizes on Arlington Heights mistakes to earn Class 4A championship berth
Trojans will play for third state title following 6-4 win
By LONNIE KING
© 2009, Houston5ABaseball.com
Fans and followers of the Moody Trojans from Corpus Christi have taken pride in their 2009 team's penchant for being opportunistic, manufacturing runs and capitalizing on their opponents' errors to earn their way into the 2009 UIL state baseball tournament. On Wednesday at Dell Diamond in Round Rock, Moody was all of those things as they defeated the Arlington Heights Yellowjackets from Fort Worth, 6-4.
The Trojans played 'small ball' and manufactured runs, while capitalizing on four Yellowjacket errors. The victory sends Moody back to the Class 4A state championship game for the first time since they won the 2007 Class 4A championship with a 9-1 win over Mesquite Poteet.
On Wednesday, Moody posted single runs in the second and third innings, both runs scoring on ground outs. After Michael Franco was hit by a pitch and moved to third on a single by Justin Perales up the middle, Randy Rodriguez drove home the first run with a fielder's choice ground ball.
In the third inning, Gerardo Gutierrez led off with a triple to right field. One out later, Christian Gallegos grounded out to shortstop, scoring Gutierrez.
Arlington Heights would answer with a run in the fourth. With one out, Chris Ryan walked and stole second. After Mike Trujillo struck out swinging, Steven Redfield singled to center, driving home Ryan.
In the fifth, the Trojans capitalized for the first time on an Arlington Heights error. Perales led off with a double. With one out, Rodriguez hit a fly ball down the left field line that Yellowjacket left fielder John Biggs dropped in fair territory. Perales scored to give Moody a 3-1 lead.
The Yellowjackets responded in the bottom of the fifth inning, as Biggs made amends with an RBI double. Following a scoreless sixth inning, the game went to the seventh with Moody holding a 3-2 lead.
In the seventh, Arlington Heights' defense would temporarily desert them and give the Trojans some valuable insurance runs. With one out and runners at second and third, Gallegos hit a ground ball to shortstop Chris Ryan. Ryan, attempting throw out Gutierrez trying to score from third. But Ryan's throw sailed well over catcher Andrew Hunt's outstretched arm and allowed both runners to score and Gallegos to go to second. Gallegos would eventually score on a single by Justin Meza, giving Moody a 6-2 lead going to the bottom of the seventh.
The runs became the difference in the game when Biggs delivered his second RBI of the game with a triple and then scored on a single by Mitchell Lichtie. But, Mark Grace would follow with a ground ball to Franco at third, who started a double play that delivered the victory to the Trojans.
Meza went the distance on the mound for Moody to earn the victory, moving his season record to 17-1. In seven innings, he allowed four earned runs on eight hits, striking out six and walking four.
The Yellowjackets (29-9) outhit the Trojans, 8-7, but stranded seven base runners in the game. David Shipman (8-4), who went 6-2/3 innings and allowed four earned runs, took the loss.
Moody (37-3) will play in their sixth state championship game. The Trojans were the 4A state champions in 2007 and the 5A state champions in 2004. They will play Texarkana Texas High, who defeated Brenham, for the Class 4A title at 1:00 pm on Thursday.
