NEEDVILLE — The battle for the District 25-4A championship is the Blue Jays’ to lose after Needville split the series against the El Campo Ricebirds, fueled by a seven-run fifth inning in an 11-2 Monday win.
The Jays now control their destiny for a second-straight district title following a successful homestand against now second-place El Campo.
The Ricebirds had previously defeated the Jays on March 13, 7-4. In that game, the Ricebirds put together a six-run rally in the sixth inning to earn the win. This time, it was the Needville bats that got the late run.
Needville head coach Elliott Babcock knew his team did not put in the cleanest performance by going hitless through the first three innings and committing four errors. However, the explosive offense late in the game proved that the Jays can threaten anyone.
“Our guys simply stuck with our game plan and it shows the character of this program,” Babcock said. “We knew the game was long and we just stayed with our approach. We swung the bat well in timely spots, which is essential in baseball. Once we got their starting pitcher out and went against their pen, it helped.”
El Campo starter Chase Starling went four innings, allowing just one hit and two walks, resulting in two unearned runs. However, the bullpen was less successful, allowing seven earned runs, five hits, and four walks the rest of the way.
Entering the fifth inning, the teams were tied at two, with Drake Resendez and Clayton Stehling earning RBIs for the Ricebirds and Diego Ochoa earning runs for the Jays.
Stehling hit a sacrifice bunt in the top of the second that scored M. Bystrek, who had singled to lead off the inning, giving El Campo a 1-0 lead. The Jays gained their first lead at the bottom of the fourth, with Kyson Vacek and Camden Babcock getting on base following a lead-off single and walk.
With two outs, Ochoa hit a fly ball on the first pitch of his at-bat that Starling mishandled. This resulted in Vacek and Camden Babcock coming home for a 2-1 lead.
The advantage was short-lived. Resendez sent a line drive to center field to bring home Stehling, tying the game at two in the top of the fifth.
The Jays fired back, beginning with a lead-off single by Brance Farrell, followed by Landon House being hit by a pitch.
A sacrifice bunt by Colton Stavinoha advanced the runners into scoring position before Vacek’s walk loaded the bases with one out. Camden Babcock hit a ground ball to the pitcher’s mound, but Farrell beat the throw home for the go-ahead run.
Kade Ramirez followed with a two-run double and then Albert Aprea singled to bring home another pair. Farrell returned to the plate later in the inning to plate another two runs for the Jays with a hard-hit line drive for a double, ending the inning up 9-2.
The Jays put the finishing touches on the rout with Vacek singling to right field to score Stavinoha, who walked to lead off the bottom of the sixth. The Jays loaded the bases once more, with Camden Babcock walking and Ochoa being hit by a pitch.
Drew McRae took advantage of his only RBI of the night on a six-pitch walk for the game’s final run.
The Jays are in first place in the district at 8-1, 17-5-2—one game ahead of El Campo, which drops to 7-2, 16-7. The Jays look to remain at the district’s helm following Friday’s road trip to Sealy at 7 p.m.
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