The Sundown Roughnecks took on the New Deal Lions for the first round of UIL Baseball Playoffs where the Roughnecks won in three games at Lubbock High.
New Deal 5, Sundown 4
For Sundown’s first matchup of the series last Saturday they lost in a close game 5-4.
New Deal was the first team on the board in the bottom of the first inning after their batter hit a double on a ground ball to left field, scoring one run to make the score 1-0 early for the Lions.
The Lions extended their lead in the bottom of the third inning after their batter grounded out to shortstop, scoring one run to make the score 2-0, New Deal lead.
The Roughnecks were able to take the lead in the top of the fifth inning after Hunter Clark singled, scoring one run and Rian Rose doubled, scoring three runs to flip the game and make the score 4-2, Sundown leading.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, New Deal responded by tying the game at four apiece after Sundown committed an error, scoring one run and another batter hit a ground out to the shortstop, scoring one run, making the score 4-4.
The final blow of the game came in the bottom of the seventh inning after New Deal hit a single on a ground ball to right field to take the walk off win with the score sitting at 5-4, New Deal win.
Jaxon Rodriguez stepped on the mound first for the Roughnecks as he gave up four hits and four runs (one earned) over six and one-third innings, striking out seven and walking five in the game.
Lopez appeared in the game for the Roughnecks in relief as he gave up two hits and one run (one earned), striking out none and walking none.
The Roughnecks tallied up 11 hits in the game. Rose led the team with two runs batted in from the number seven spot in the lineup. They went 4-for-4 on the day. Clausen and Clark each collected multiple hits for Sundown. The team ran wild on the base paths, amassing four stolen bases for the game.
Sundown 18, New Deal 8
For the second game it started 30 minutes after the first game where Sundown took out some anger from the first game winning 18-8 after five innings.
Sundown was the first team on the board after Landry Farrar singled on a fly ball to center field, scoring one run and the right fielder for the Lions committed an error, scoring three runs making the score 4-0.
New Deal got five runs in the top of the third inning after a batter hit a double, scoring one run, another batter hit another double, scoring one run, one batter was walked, scoring one run, one battetr hit a fly out, scoring one run and the last batter hit a single, scoring one run, to make the score 5-4, New Deal leading.
Sundown tied the game at five after Rayden Flores hit a fly ball and reached on an error by the right fielder, bringing in Isaac Flores on the same error, making the score 5-5.
The Roughnecks broke the tie in the bottom of the fourth inning when an error scored two runs and another error followed to extend their lead to 10-5.
New Deal got the last of their runs in the top of the fifth inning after a sacrifice fly, scored one run and then Sundown dropped the third strike to send in two runners and make the score 10-8, Sundown still leading.
Sundown was able to end the game in the bottom of the fifth inning after they scored eight runs on six hits. Jaxon Rodriguez doubled, scoring one run, an error scored one run, Farrar singled, scoring one run, Rose singled, scoring two runs, Coen Nevarez singled, scoring one run, an error scored one run and Caleb Clausen drew a walk, scoring one run to give Sundown the win off of a run-rule.
Flores earned the win for the Roughnecks as he gave up six hits and five runs (two earned) over four innings, striking out one and walking five.
Rose appeared in relief for the Roughnecks as he gave up zero hits and three runs over one inning, striking out one and walking two.
Sundown tallied up 13 hits in the game as Rose and Farrar each drove in two runs for the team. Lopez and Rodriguez each collected multiple hits for the Roughnecks.
Sundown 14, New Deal 12
For the final game of the series Sundown was able to take the huge win of the series to move onto the next round of playoffs, winning 14-12.
Sundown was on the board first once again in the top of the first inning after Rodriguez walked, Farrar hit a sacrifice bunt and Rose singled, each scoring one run to make the score 3-0 early.
New Deal responded in the bottom of the second inning after they scored two runs on an error committed by the Roughnecks to make the score 3-2.
Sundown was able to get another run in the top of the third inning after Farrar grounded out, scoring one run to make the score 4-2.
Sundown had another run in the top of the fourth inning after Rodriguez was walked, scoring one run to extend their lead to 5-2.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, New Deal was able to give Sundown a big scare after they had six runs on four hits to make the score 8-5, New Deal taking the lead.
Sundown retook the lead in the top of the sixth inning after Clausen singled on a hard ground ball to center field, scoring one run, Rodriguez singled on a hard ground ball to center field, scoring one run, Rose singled on a hard ground ball to center field, scoring one run and Nevarez tripled on a fly ball to right field, scoring three runs, making the score 11-8, Roughnecks retaking the lead.
New Deal tied the game at 11 apiece in the bottom of the sixth inning after their batter hit a single, scoring two runs.
In the top of the seventh inning Sundown broke the tie when Farrar laid down a sacrifice bunt, scoring two runs and Lopez grounded out, scoring another run to make the score 14-11.
The final run of the game came from a hit by pitch for the Lions as they got their final run in the final inning, making the final score 14-12 for the series.
Rose earned the win for the Roughnecks as he gave up two hits and four runs (one earned) over two innings, striking out two and walking three.
Clausen started on the mound for the Roughnecks as he gave up seven hits and eight runs (two earned) over four and two-third innings, striking out eight and walking three in the game.
The Roughnecks had 15 hits in the game as Farrar provided pop in the middle of the lineup, leading the Roughnecks with three runs batted in. Clausen and Rose each collected three hits for the team. Clark, Jayson Martinez and Rodriguez each collected multiple hits for Sundown. The team had a strong eye for the plate, tallying eight walks for the game. Clark and Rodriguez led the team with two walks each.
Sundown moves onto the area round of playoffs as they progress to 11-11 on the year and Bi-District Champions.
The Roughnecks will take on the Wellington Skyrockets for their Area Round matchup with the time and place TBD at the time of this writing.