Lackland Air Force Base, Texas –
The Lackland Warhawks Varsity Baseball Team and the Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz., Mustangs put up a big fight against each other during a three-game exhibition series last weekend at Warhawk Field.
The friendly feud was part of a warm-up for the "Air Force Birthday Bash," the annual tournament between baseball teams from several different Air Force bases, scheduled for this September at Andrews AFB, Md.
All three games lasted seven innings, by prior agreement between the teams.
Davis-Monthan came out on top twice during a twilight doubleheader May 18. The Mustangs won Game 1, 10-3, and also took the nightcap, 5-2.
"We had solid defense and hitting," said Jorge Rodriguez, the Mustangs coach, second baseman and pitcher. "It was a solid effort all the way around."
During Game 1, the Warhawks had trimmed a 2-0 Davis-Monthan start to 2-1 by the end of the fourth inning. DM center fielder Heath Curless drove in two runs during the first.
However, the Mustangs added four runs during the top of the fifth to establish a 6-1 lead. A single by designated hitter Danny Ortega drove in two runs. Later in the fifth, a wild pitch from Lackland starter John Rose allowed Ortega to run home, and Curless tripled and scored on an infield error.
The Mustangs added one run during the sixth, and three more during the seventh. Rodriguez singled and scored on an infield error in the sixth. Catcher Dave Yardley walked and scored on a wild pitch, and first baseman Charles Martin doubled home two runs during the seventh.
Warhawks relief pitcher Justin Ailor took over from Rose during the seventh and struck out two to stop DM from doing more damage.
Lackland went scoreless through the first three frames.
Curless robbed Lackland third baseman Miguel Jimenez of extra bases during the third inning. Jimenez smacked a long fly that almost sank into the left-center field gap. Curless charged to his right and caught the ball just in time while leaping forward on his belly.
The Warhawks got on the scoreboard during the fourth when second baseman Dominic Ortega walked and scored on a base hit up the middle by Davin Dukes, the Warhawks coach and first baseman.
Rose walked and scored on a single by center fielder Fabian Salazar, and Ortega singled and scored on a base hit by left fielder Keith Bratton during the sixth.
Altogether, the Warhawks mustered only six hits against Mustangs starter Kyle Grostavson and reliever Danny Hamamoto.
As Game 2 got under way, DM scored early and stayed on top. By the end of the third inning, while batting against Ailor, they had belted seven hits and posted a 5-1 lead. Curless drove in two runs, one of them on a fielder's choice, the other one on a sacrifice fly. Danny Ortega doubled home one run, as did Yardley. A single by third baseman Tim Villaran drove in another run for the Mustangs.
Rodriguez pitched a complete game for the Mustangs while striking out four.
Lackland stayed close to DM through almost all of Game 2. Warhawks catcher Richard McDonald doubled and scored on a single by right fielder Luther Lawson during the third. Shortstop Nathan Zimmerman sprinted home from third base to give the Warhawks another run after Lawson hit into a fielder's choice during the fifth.
However, a late-inning rally by Lackland fizzled out quickly after Hamamoto and Martin put together a double play during the top of the seventh.
Lackland relief pitcher Jose Isales went to the mound with two out during the third inning and kept the Mustangs scoreless for the remainder of the game. Isales also went 3-for-3 at the plate, including a double in the second inning.
The Warhawks beat DM by a score of 11-9 on Saturday after producing six runs on four hits, three walks, one batter hit by the pitch and one fielder's choice during the bottom of the sixth inning.
The Warhawks were down 9-5 as they came up to bat against Grostavson. Lackland center fielder Jason Law doubled and scored on a single by Dominic Ortega. Extra hitter Fabian Salazar walked. Salazar scored with the bases full after a high inside pitch by Grostavson accidentally hit Lackland third baseman Mario Villarreal on his helmet and knocked him off his feet.
"Way to wear it, Mario," the Lackland bench cheered, as Villarreal recovered and trotted to first.
Second baseman Andrew Taylor singled and scored after Zimmerman walked with the bases loaded. Then, a solid smack into center field by Ailor drove in Ortega, who scored the tying run, and Villarreal, who sprinted around the bases and slid hard over home plate to give Lackland a 10-9 lead.
For good measure, Zimmerman dashed from third and scored the 11th Lackland run as MacDonald hit into a fielder's choice later in the sixth.
Zimmerman started the game on the mound, and he stayed there as DM came up for their last at-bat during the top of the seventh. After walking Hamamoto and giving up a single to Danny Ortega, Zimmerman finished the contest, as he struck out Grostavson looking, Curless looking and Lozano swinging.
"We finished the game," Villarreal said. "You can't win unless you finish the game."
Villarreal was wearing a dirty uniform by the time the game was finished.
How did he feel about being hit by the pitch and soon afterward coming home with the winning run?
"It's part of the game," Villarreal said. "You have to do whatever it takes to win."
Lackland will resume its regular season in the San Antonio Men's Senior Baseball League when they take on the Red Sox on June 3, 10 a.m., on Sullivan Field at the University of the Incarnate Word.