First year head coach Jim Stevens takes over a veteran Holbrook baseball squad that returns 13 players from last year’s team, which went 20-12 on the season. Six seniors lead the team, including Blake Maestas, Kory Koerperich, Ilacian Johnson, Seneca Murphy, Austin Lozano and Joey Aguilera. They are joined by juniors Michael Kennedy, Dylan Barela, Javier Quintana, Caleb Layden, Robert Jaquez, Levi Reyes and Ryan Baldonado, and sophomores Shawn Gillespie and Jessie Spangler.

Holbrook opened the new season at home on Monday afternoon against a strong Payson squad and battled tough through six innings before the Longhorns blew the game open in the top of the seventh to win it 13-5.

The Longhorns led 5-0 after two innings only to see Holbrook cut the lead to just two with three runs in the home half of the second. In the bottom of the fifth the Birds tied the game. Payson then pounded the ball in the seventh inning, scoring eight runs to get the win.

Four players in Holbrook’s lineup came into the game without any practice days and played quite well, considering they were winning a state basketball title on Saturday night. Kory Koerperich went one for three and scored a run, Ryan Baldonado was one for two with an RBI, Joey Aguilera went zero for two, but scored a run. Dylan Barela was one for two and scored once. Caleb Layden went one for three with a pair of RBIs. Seneca Murphy went one for three and scored once. Levi Reyes went one for four with an RBI. Austin Lozano went one for four with a solo home run blast.

Holbrook drew four walks, two by Dylan Barela, and one each from Layden and Aguilera. Barela also stole one base. The Roadrunners left 16 base runners stranded.

Javier Quintana started the game and worked three innings. He gave up five runs, all earned, on two hits with six walks and four strike outs. Murphy worked the final four innings, giving up eight runs, seven earned, on nine hits with six strikeouts.

Payson 230 000 8 13

Holbrook 030 020 0 5

The Birds will host Alchesay on Monday, March 7, then host Snowflake on Wednesday. On Thursday, St. Johns comes to town. All three of those games are scheduled to begin at 3:30 p.m.