By STAN HUDY
www.cliftonparkworldseries.com
CLIFTON PARK – The Eagle Pass, Texas team were stunned by the 13-year-old Babe Ruth World Series hosts, Clifton Park Friday night and were determined to make amends for their loss Saturday morning against Meridian, Idaho.
They just didn’t plan on it taking so long.
After allowing a lone run in the third inning, Eagle Pass knotted the contest in the top of the seventh and held off Meridian for three more innings, winning 2-1 in 10 innings to even their record in pool play.
“They were not down, but in a way, they felt that they let down a lot of people in Eagle Pass,” manager Frank De La Garza said. “There were people in the bars and their homes watching the game on the TV and internet. They wanted to prove that the Eagle Pass team is here to win it all.”
Blake McFadden got things going for Meridian in the bottom of the third inning with a two-out single to right field. After Austin Yruzabal walked, Hunter Weindal ripped an RBI double down the left field line for the early lead.
Meridian starter Caleb Burnham was lifted after five innings of work, pitching a shutout, allowing just four hits and poised for the win.
Eagle Pass starter Ricardo Gonzalez went six innings, giving up the lone run on three hits. He walked three batters and struck out five.
The pitcher’s duel would continue for five more innings.
McFadden would come on to pitch five more innings for Meridian, giving up the go-ahead run in the 10th inning. He gave up both runs on six hits. He struck out three and walked one batter.
Olevis Gutierrez tied the game in the top of the seventh, roping a two-out double to left field and then rounding the corner on third without looking on a hard shot by Adrian Torres.
“On the hit of the bat the coach told me to go,” Gutirrez said. “I didn’t look at the ball. I knew the fielder was going to throw to first.”
Eagle Pass fireballer Armando Lopez struck an intimidating pose on the mound and fired fastball after fastball for five innings. He struck out three and walked one, facing 13 batters in four innings of work.
“I just try to throw strikes every time, be tough,” Lopez said. “I mix it up a little bit. I spot my fastball.”
He had no problem going four innings of relief.
“It didn’t bother me a bit,” Lopez said. “I just wanted to feel calm and focus.”
De La Garza was proud of his pair of pitchers in the duel.
“Ricardo and Armando were both on,” De La Garza said. “They didn’t give anything up.”
Saturday’s win was welcomed after the 4-3 loss to tournament host Clifton Park.
“Last night it would have been nice to win, I guess the ball didn’t roll our way,” De La Garza said. “1-1 (record in pool play), it makes us relax. We know that we have to come and compete again. This team does not quit and we’re going to be in all the games.”

Eagle Pass, TX 000 000 100 1 – 2 10 1
Meridian, ID 001 000 000 0 – 1 3 2
SB – (EP) Gutierrez 2. 2B – (EP) Gonzalez. (M)Weindal.

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