On Monday, March 4, the Archie Williams varsity baseball team took on the Branson Bulls at the Archie Williams home field, despite Branson being the home team. The game was intense throughout all innings but resulted in the Falcons’ 7-5 victory against the Bulls. Sitting at 0-1, the Falcons looked to get their first MCAL win after losing on Feb. 27 to Marin Catholic High School.
“We came out loose, confident, and we hit the ball very well. We came in with the mentality that we are just better than the other team, and we went out and showed that today,” said junior Jack Evans.
The Falcons had a promising start to the game, earning a few singles and walks. They were able to get three runners home in the first inning, securing a 3-0 lead. Led by Archie Williams junior Leo Hendricks at the mound, the Falcons defense managed to keep the Bulls scoreless in the first inning.
The second inning had little action with both teams getting three quick outs. The Bulls’ defense struggled in the third inning, and the Falcons managed another point thanks to a few base hits and back-to-back errors from the Bulls. The Falcons’ defense continued to play well aside from a home run hit by the Bulls, adjusting the score to 4-1.
While the Falcons were unable to produce in the fourth inning, the Bulls were. After a couple of base hits, the Bulls scored with another runner, changing the score to 4-2.
The fifth inning placed the Falcons in a difficult situation with two outs and no one on base. Jack managed to hit a deep home run, pushing their lead to three points. Branson had a productive inning, hitting a triple followed by a single, which brought the score to 5-3.
The Falcons had another tough time at bat in the sixth inning, accumulating three quick outs. With the game nearing its end, the Bulls knew they needed a big inning to start their comeback. Mason Thongnopneua subbed in for Leo as pitcher to close the game.
Branson tied the game by the end of the sixth inning with a double and a home run. The Falcons managed to pick up three outs and continue into the final inning tied 5-5.
The Falcons started off hot in the final inning, getting a batter on second and third with no outs. Senior Max Lefferts managed to drive in junior Arlo Maury home for a run to take the lead. Jack was up to bat and got a hit that allowed Miki Accomazzo to make it home.
The Falcons were up 7-5 and brought in junior Oscar Slavinsky to pitch going into the bottom of the seventh inning. The defense held strong, securing three straight outs to close the game, including a notable diving catch from senior Sam Black.
“We attacked really well, and our energy was there the whole game. We were able to battle back even when things got rough,” Leo said.
The Falcons will rematch with the Bulls at Archie Williams Thursday, March 7, at 3:30.
“I’m feeling pretty confident about our next game coming off the win today. We have our senior Sam Black on the mound,” said coach Tyler Weeks. “As long as we can do what we did today, put balls in play, pitch well, and play good defense, you can expect a good outcome”.
