Bucks prepare for Bi-District game

The Breckenridge Bucks varsity baseball squad needed a non-conference challenging game and the 4A Graham Steers were also looking for a seasoned opponent to help them prepare for their Bi-District showdown game against Gatesville. Both Breckenridge and Graham were slated to play their first Bi-District games on Friday, May 7.

As a result, the District 7-3A Bucks traveled to Graham to play the 4A Graham Steers, who are champions of their District 5-4A.

The Bucks lost to the Graham Steers, (4-6) even though they garnered more hits, 7 to 6, but weren’t able to squeeze in enough runs to win the game. The Bucks scored in the very first inning when Ayden Reyes #13 hit a sacrifice fly ball to left field, which gave Christian Arellano #16 an opportunity to scramble home for the first score for the Bucks. Bases were loaded with Evan Moore #8 on second and Jonas Arellano #3 on first. Unfortunately, the next two batters hit fly balls to third and left field for the final two outs of the inning. The 4A Graham Steers failed to counter that challenge and didn’t get any runs in the bottom of the first inning and the Bucks led, (1-0).

In the top of the second inning, the Bucks scored a second run when Ashton Reyes #4 hit a grounder to third base and was able to get to first on an error by the Steers’ third baseman. That set up the scoring for the Bucks when C. Arellano hit a fly ball double out to rightfield, which aided Reyes to hustle home for the second score for the Bucks and they now led, (2-0). Three other Buckaroo batters had struck out, grounded out to third and popped out to first for the three outs of that inning.

In the bottom of the second inning, the Steers managed to get a run across home plate and the score was still led by the Bucks, (2-1). The Bucks didn’t get anything in the form of another run in the top of the third inning and the score remained in their favor, (2-1)

The Steers woke up in the bottom of the third inning and were able to score one run, which was a home run hit by Williams over the rightfield fence, to tie the score, (2-2), after three innings of play.

The Bucks had two batters strike out and the third grounded out to second for no score in the top of the fourth inning. However, the 4A Steers pushed three runs across home plate in the bottom of the fourth to lead for the first time, (2-5).

In the top of the fifth, the Bucks were energized to get some runs across home plate to challenge the Graham Steers, who had taken the lead. First, Moore hit a hard grounder to shortstop and reached first with an error by the shortstop. At that point, the Steers drafted a new pitcher, Horn, but J. Arellano managed to get a single on a fly ball hit to right field and in the process, Moore scored and J. Arellano advanced to second, but was stopped there. Next up was Ayden Reyes, who struck a hard-hit ball to center field and Arellano was held up at third. Flavio Davila was hit by a pitch and Escalon got a walk. J. Arellano managed to scramble home for the fourth run and the score was now, (4-5). Unfortunately, the Bucks hit a dry spell and the next three batters hit the 4A Graham Steers’ defensive wall. The Bucks had bases loaded, but Ashton Reyes #4 was out on a fly ball hit in the infield, Kayson Knight #12, was out on a foul tip to the pitcher and Davila was caught trying to advance to third when Kayden Garcia #7 hit a grounder toward third. After four and a half innings, the Bucks were one run behind the 4A Steers, (4-5).

In the bottom of the fifth inning, the Steers managed to get one more run across home plate to tip the score more in their favor, (4-6). The Bucks had two more opportunities in the top of the sixth and seventh innings, but failed to get past the 4A Graham Steers’ defense and the game ended (4-6).

The Bucks used three pitchers starting with Escalon who had only one strike out in two innings, but allowed two runs on three hits. J. Arellano pitched three innings and had two strikeouts, but allowed three runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. Wilcox went in for the bottom of the sixth inning and had no strikeouts, no hits, but did give up one walk.

The Bucks scored four runs off seven hits with Camden Escalon leading with three hits and J. Arellano and Ayden Reyes each had two hits.