The Holbrook Roadrunners worked their way through a terrific season to the top overall seed in the 3A state baseball tournament, but last Friday evening that top ranking wasn’t enough for them to advance to the second round.
Empire, which came in as the 16th ranked team, upended the Roadrunners in a defensive battle that lasted 11 innings before the Ravens finally pulled off the biggest upset of the tournament.
Empire broke a scoreless tie in the top of the 11th innings with the game’s only two runs. Holbrook couldn’t answer in the home half of the inning, leaving the Roadrunners on the wrong side of a stunning 2-0 final.
Holbrook’s Tristan Baldonado and Empire’s Drake Bannerman battled for just over six innings on the hill with neither allowing a run. Empire scattered six hits against Baldonado, while Holbrook managed just three hits against the Raven starter.
Empire’s ace went further in the game, working a full nine innings before being pulled in the top of the 10th. Holbrook’s top thrower had to leave after 62/3 innings as his pitch count was maxed out. Baldonado gave up six hits, posted seven strikeouts and walked two.
Jalen Nez came on in relief and worked 41/3 innings. He allowed two runs on six hits with five strikeouts and walked one. Empire’s Nathan Smith worked two innings in relief, giving up just one hit and no runs with four strikeouts.
Holbrook struggled against Empire pitching, finishing the game with just four hits and 13 strikeouts. At the plate, Cole McDaniel went 1 for 5; Frankie Ulibarri and Gabe Gabaldon, 1 for 4; and Tristan Baldonado, 1 for 3.
The Roadrunners had a solid season, finishing with an overall record of 23-6.
The East Region sent five teams into the final 16-team bracket, but only two of those five teams made it out of the first round. Snowflake and Payson then faced each other in the second round where the Longhorns prevailed, leaving the East region with just one representative in the semifinal round which begins on Friday, May 12.
