RICHMOND — The Fulshear Chargers now control their destiny toward a second-straight District 20-5A championship after ending Foster’s 14-game win streak on Tuesday on the road, prevailing 9-5.
The Chargers never trailed in game one of this pivotal series, which will determine who enters the postseason with the No. 1 seed in the district.
Fulshear’s lads did not let the high pressure get to them early, going up 3-0 in the blink of an eye.
Ty Powell started the flurry with a single, followed by a double from Caven Fuentes to put runners in scoring position. Moments later, Trey Giametta powered a line drive to right field to score Powell. Logan Hudson cleared the bases in the next at-bat with a triple to center field.
Foster pitcher Cooper Schwank had allowed five runs in his previous eight starts, but the Fulshear lineup had his number.
“We were hunting fastballs early, and they were giving them to us,” Fulshear coach Robb Jensen said. “That first inning was huge to get on the board and hit the ball that well early on. He (Schwank) settled in with the breaking ball stuff. We struggled for a bit. We have to do a better job of getting runners home from third, but I felt we did a better job towards the end of the game of keeping the bat on the ball.”
On the other side, the Foster lineup could not replicate the opponents’ early success, going hitless for 4 1/3 innings. Matthew Macklin had command from the mound for the Chargers, allowing just one walk during this stretch.
The Chargers kept the attack on in the top of the third inning, with Giametta earning his second RBI off a sacrifice fly. This allowed Powell to reach home after he walked to lead off the frame, putting the Chargers up 4-0.
The lead extended to 6-0 following Fuentes’ single and Powell scoring off a wild pitch. The runs were set up by a Macklin single followed by Powell’s second walk.
The Falcons, though, would not go away quickly. After earning their first hit of the night, Aiden Poirier drove in the first Falcon run with a groundball single past third base.
Ridge Aventurado added to the rally with a sacrifice fly that scored Oscar Trevino to end the inning down 6-2.
A quick top of the sixth for the Chargers paved the way for the Falcons to continue with their momentum, cutting the lead to 6-5. Chase Batten scored off a wild pitch after leading off the inning with a double.
In the next at-bat, Trevino hit a single that turned into a complete circling of the bases. Trevino’s groundball into right field led to a throwing error by Giametta, allowing the junior to clear the bases. Julio Cuotto came home as a result after he was walked earlier in the inning.
Macklin escaped the inning without allowing any further damage, finishing his six-inning night with three earned runs, three walks, and four strikeouts.
With momentum shifting, the Chargers took it right back, beginning with a leadoff single by Travis Reid and a third walk to Powell. Fuentes brought both boys home with a hard ground ball to center field to clear the bases. Diesel Clark earned an extra insurance run off a fielder’s choice to score Giametta.
Guy Arroyos relieved Macklin with three outs to go and shut out the Falcons in 20 pitches.
Fulshear remains unbeaten in the district at 14-0, 24-7, while Foster falls to 13-1, 22-9.
Fulshear can win the district outright with a Friday win at home, but Foster can force a deciding game three if the Falcons come out victorious.
Jensen’s mindset Tuesday was that of a best-of-three series against the talented Falcons, and he expected a lower-scoring affair in the rematch.
“We knew this wasn’t going to be easy, so if we can close it out at home, that would be great,” Jensen said. “It’s huge momentum for us to get this game one, but we have to play cleaner and keep hitting the ball well.”
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