The Roadrunner baseball team opened the season last weekend at the Fountain Hills Tournament and came up short in all four games played. Holbrook didn’t have its full varsity roster present, as some were still either playing basketball or have not yet returned from injury, but the squad was able to score against some solid competition at this tournament.
On Thursday morning Holbrook suffered a tough one-run loss to Camp Verde. The Birds led by two runs at the end of the first inning, then fell behind by two in the fourth. In the fifth they rallied to tie the game at 5-5, then gave up a single run to the Cowboys in the sixth to lose the game 6-5.
Javier Quintana worked six innings, facing 27 batters. He allowed six runs, four earned, on seven hits with six strikeouts and one walk.
At the plate Robert Jaquez led the way for Holbrook, going three for four with a double, an RBI and scored a run. Michael Kennedy was one for three with two RBIs. Dylan Barela went one for four, stole one base and scored a run. Jacob Baker went one for two. Levi Reyes was one for three and scored twice. Shawn Gillespie went one for four. Sean Dillon walked and scored once.
On Thursday afternoon Holbrook jumped ahead of Fountain Hills in the first inning by three runs and scored 10 runs through the first two innings. While the Birds’ bats were hot, unfortunately, their defense struggled, giving up 11 runs to the Falcons in the same two innings. Fountain Hills went on to score 10 runs in the third and added a final run in the fourth to win the game 19-10.
Michael Kennedy was the losing pitcher. He pitched a third of an inning, giving up eight runs, six of them earned, on four hits with two walks.
Jaquez was two for three at the plate with two RBIs and scored twice. Barela was one for three with two RBIs and a run scored. Nikko Ferniza was one for three with an RBI and a run scored.
On Friday morning Holbrook faced San Tan Foothills and fell behind 5-0 through three innings. The Roadrunners scored twice in the fourth and twice more in the sixth, but came up short, losing the game 9-4. San Tan scored nine runs on seven hits and made three errors. Holbrook scored four runs on only three hits, but made five errors.
Devin Nez was the losing pitcher. He faced 35 batters, giving up six runs, four earned, on four hits with three walks and a strikeout.
Ferniza led the Birds’ offense, going two for three at the plate with two RBIs. Reyes was one for three with a double and scored a run. Jaquez was one for three with two RBIs. Kennedy walked once, reached on an error once and scored twice
Their final game of the tournament came on Saturday morning where they fell to Bourgade Catholic, 10-1. Bourgade broke a scoreless tie with four runs in the third, then added three more each in the sixth and seventh to secure the win.
Ryan Baldonado was the losing pitcher. He worked six innings, facing 30 batters. He gave up seven runs, all earned, on eight hits with three walks and had 11 strikeouts.
Kennedy went two for three at the plate, Baker was one for two and Jaquez was one for three.
Holbrook starts the season at 0-4, but none of those losses count toward the all important power point standings. After hosting Winslow in their first regular season game on Thursday, the Roadrunners will have a three-game home stand next week. They host Mogollon on Tuesday, Flagstaff on Wednesday and Joseph City on Friday. On March 14, they will travel to Winslow for a rematch with the Bulldogs.
