5/10/2008 - AC Takes Down Wharton 6-1
MOUNT PLEASANT – Saturday’s opening-round game of the Region XIV
tournament hadn’t seen its first pitch before people were asking why
Angelina College head coach Jeff Livin wasn’t going to start his ace,
Jason Gurka, in the all-important tourney opener.
The answer to that question was Trey Rackel.
Making his coach look good, Rackel proceeded to spin a brilliant eight
innings in boosting AC to the winner’s bracket with a 6-1 win over
Wharton’s Pioneers. The righty from Mayde Creek allowed just six hits
and a single earned run while pitching into the ninth inning. Ahead in
the count all day long, Rackel walked just two Pioneer hitters; and
after giving up a third-inning double to Pioneer Ben Alaniz that led
to an Alex Johnson sacrifice fly for Wharton’s lone run, faced the
minimum over the next 12 hitters.
“A decision like this leaves a guy open to a lot of second-guessing,”
Livin said. “But I saw a look in Trey’s eyes in the bullpen that left
me no doubt that going with him was the right decision.
“He’s a true competitor, and he really gave us a lift today.”
Rackel blew through the Wharton lineup with relative ease, facing
trouble only in the second and eighth innings. He gave up consecutive
singles to open the ninth before gaving way to reliever Frank Corolla,
who retired the side on groundouts to preserve the win.
Rackel said afterward he felt strong during warm-ups and felt no
pressure despite a two-week layoff leading into the tournament.
“In the bullpen before the game, I was just concentrating on hitting
spots in the mitt,” Rackel said. “I didn’t want to come out so excited
that I couldn’t throw strikes.
“But I felt stronger in the pen than I’ve felt all year, so I wasn’t
worried when the game started.”
AC’s runs came from a three-RBI day from Matt Thielepape and another
two ribbies from Keith Prestridge. Thielepape drove in Austin
Lasprilla in the first inning after Lasprilla took a pitch in the ribs
from Wharton starter Trey Ross. A bad pickoff throw sent Lasprilla to
second, and Thielepape lined a single to right for the game’s first
run.
The ‘Runners added another in the second on Thielepape’s bases-loaded
walk to score Joey Latulippe, who had singled with two outs.
The score remained 2-1 in favor of the good guys until the sixth:
Latulippe walked and Chris Laird reached on a fielder’s choice.
Lasprilla took another one for the team to load the bases, and
Thielepape did the same to force in his third RBI. Keith Prestridge
then lined a two-out single to right score another pair of runs and
put AC up 5-1. Mark Serna added another in the seventh by walking,
moving to third on Latulippe’s single and decoying a Wharton
outfielder into holding onto the ball too long, allowing Serna to
scamper home with yet another insurance run.
The rest was up to Rackel and Corolla, and the two pitchers ensured
the Roadrunners would stick around the tournament for another couple
of days.
AC will play the winner of the San Jacinto/Panola game at
approximately 5 p.m. today. Listeners can catch J.P. Heath on the
play-by-play on ESPN 1260 AM, or log onto www.espn1260.net for the web
cast.
