Ganado 9-10 All-Star team

The Ganado 9-10 year old All-Star team looked to continue their historic run this season as they traveled to Needville for the East Texas Section IVTournament.

Since 2003, which is the year most of these boys were born, the district representative for this tournament has either been Victoria or Calhoun.

Ganado had been a perfect 6-0 defeating Edna, Victoria Northeast (twice), Victoria Southeast, Victoria Northwest (twice), and after defeating Sinton in the first game of the Section IV Tournament in Needville, Ganado looked poised to continue their run. However, a heartbreaking loss to a tough Hallettsville team, 10-8, put Ganado in an elimination game versus Sweeny.

In the bottom of the first inning Sweeny would take an early lead on a bunt that resulted in an unusual home run. Overthrown errors by Ganado cleared the bases and Sweeny took an early 3-0 lead. However, Ganado would respond in the top of the second inning when Nick Carruthers beat out a throw for an infield single. This rattled the Sweeny pitcher who preceded to walk the next three batters scoring Cayden Branch who pinch ran for Carruthers. Josiah Sterling would knock in another run on a fielder's choice and Ganado had worked their way back into the game down 2-3. Riley Hurt came in to pitch the second, third and fourth innings and was cruising until, with two outs in the bottom of the fourth, two sharply hit balls by Sweeny resulted in two runs pushing the score to 2-5. Once again Ganado would respond in the top of the 5th. Josiah Sterling would get a base hit and Lane Benavides would walk putting two on with one out after a fielder's choice put Kyle Bures-Guerrero on base. Logan Riojas would rip one to second causing the second baseman to bobble the ball and overthrow first scoring Benavides and Bures-Guerrero making the score 4-5. Sweeny would get out of the inning but untimely errors would prove again to be the downfall of Ganado. Two errors in the bottom of the 5th put two aboard for Sweeny, two base hits and a sacrifice fly later Ganado was down again 4-8. With one last at bat, Ganado tried to continue their season. Waylon Novosad would get hit by a pitch, and Jacob Sulak would get on board with a shot to left field. However, Sweeny would get a fly out to right and a strike out for the final two outs and end Ganado's season. Ganado would end their summer baseball with a third place finish at the East Texas Section IV Tournament and a District 27 Championship for the community of Ganado.

Sometimes the ball does not come your way in baseball, but we would be remised not to mention the great job of pitching by Corbin Guiterrez during the Hallettsville game and the home runs that Cole Zikuhr hit against Victoria Northeast and Southeast to help Ganado advance.

In the end the Ganado All-Star TEAM proved to be exactly that....a TEAM. Everyone contributed to the success of the team during this "ride" and what a memorable ride it was for the players, coaches, parents and fans. -Bryan Branch