Bobcats Shut Out Host Hurricanes To Set Up Big Matchup With Tornadoes

The Bobcats came into the 2012 HSBN Fall Classic on a mission to show the other teams in the county they are a force to be reckoned with.

On Tuesday evening they backed up their claims with a convincing 6-0 victory over the Hurricanes in the second contest of Bracket F at Northeast High.

“I am extremely happy with the pitching tonight,” Bobcats coach Sergio Ambros said after his staff tossed a two-hit shutout. “Once we get a lead we like to let them go out and play, and we tell the pitchers to throw strikes and put the ball in play.”

The victory adds greater significance to Thursday’s match up between the Bobcats and Tornadoes, as the winner of that game will be in the driver’s seat to advance from Bracket F.

“[The Tornadoes] are a good team and they play quality games,” Ambros said. “It is going to be one of those games, and we have got to come up with those extra hits.”

On Tuesday, the team had more than enough offense to back starting pitcher Mark Mendez, scoring a pair in the first inning for all the run support they would need.

Xavier Beltran and Christian Khawly walked leading off the game, and the Bobcats executed in scoring them both on an RBI groundout from Danny Pardo and a sacrifice fly that went for an error off the bat of Luigi Perez.

Mendez had a strong outing in allowing only two hits through five innings of work. His defense was on point all night long, seemingly in the right position every time someone needed to make a play.

“When you have a defense like that it is easier to pitch,” Mendez admitted. “I established my fastball and got ahead, and I was able to place the ball and pitch to my defense. I just tried to keep my pitch count low and get us back into the dugout.”

After a shaky first inning, Hurricanes starter Eduardo Uriarte settled in and tossed three scoreless innings that kept the hosts in it down just 2-0.

Uriarte exited after 68 pitches, surrendering two hits and two walks while striking out four.

The Bobcats broke it open in the fifth inning, as Codey Williams smacked a single to shallow left field and then reached to second base on a throwing error to get in scoring position. Charles Eldon followed with a bunt single to put runners on the corners, and then Williams came home on an infield error.

Pardo blooped a shot to centerfield to load the bases, and Eldon scored on a wild pitch. Perez added to the lead with a sacrifice fly that pushed Beltran home to make it 5-0.

Cole Williams spelled Mendez and closed out the final two innings with four strikeouts and a walk.

“Cole is our lone lefty this year and he did a nice job for us,” Ambros said. “Mark was just Mark, which was getting them to make contact and force outs. He got them to hit a lot of fly balls tonight.”

Leave a comment using your facebook account!