By Greg Perkins –
The Roadrunners advanced to the quarterfinal round of the state baseball playoffs where their season came when they lost to the Estrella Foothills Wolves.
Holbrook started its playoff run with a 7-6 extra innings win over Northwest Christian last Tuesday afternoon. The Roadrunners came back from a four-run deficit to tie the game in the fifth and again battled to a 6-6 tie at the end of seven. After loading the bases in the eighth they were able to score on a slow roller with two outs to get the win and advance to round two.
Levi Reyes led the team at the plate by going three for five with two stolen bases, an RBI and scoring twice. Jesse Spangler went two for five with a triple, an RBI and scored once. Shawn Gillespie was two for four with a double and an RBI.
Ryan Baldonado worked four innings on the hill, facing 20 batters. He gave up four runs, all earned, with four hits and four walks. Javier Quintana worked three innings of relief facing 11 batters. He allowed two runs, both earned, with two hits, three walks and four strikeouts. Spangler worked one inning, allowing no runs and only one hit while collecting a pair of strikeouts.
In the second round on Friday afternoon, the Birds met up with third seeded Chino Valley, which came into the game with only three losses on the season and a first round bye. They ended the higher seed’s season with a 3-1 victory.
Holbrook scored once in the first, added another in the third and pushed the lead to 3-0 with a run in the fourth. The Birds’ defense and pitching held Chino to just one run, which came in the fifth.
Spangler led the team at the plate, going two for three. Reyes went one for three with an RBI double.
Quintana worked the first six innings, facing 27 batters. He allowed only one run, which was earned, on two hits with eight walks and five strikeouts.
Facing sixth seeded Estrella Foothills on Saturday, Holbrook’s batters struggled with only two hits against the Wolves’ pitching in an 11-1, five-inning loss. Estrella showed its mettle with three first inning runs, then tacked on another in the third and opened the game up with four in the fourth. The Wolves closed the deal by pushing their lead to 10 with three more runs in the fifth and final frame.
