Center Fielder Junior Beau Rathjen and Short Stop Carter Burgess led a four home run Clinic that ultimately led to the dismay of the Tigers
An emotional crowd of Mustang fans eagerly waited for this day to come as they filled the stands to cheer on their boys draped in red and white. From the first pitch until the last, restless Memorial fans made sure that their part would be a factor.
In an highly anticipated match up of power rivals, Junior Center Fielder Beaux Rathjen hit two home runs and drove in four RBI’s to help power Memorial passed the Katy Tigers 12-4 Tuesday night at Mustang Stadium on the Campus of Memorial High School. The win avenges the only district loss of the season and keeps the Mustangs title hopes alive.
One of Rathjen’s four RBI’s on the night put Memorial (14-3-0, 10-1) up 5-4 to stay in the bottom of the third inning when he singled home Boomer White from third base.
“It was kind of an odd game the wind was really blowing in the first two innings. We had some pop up home runs on both sides and we just kept battling and we were able to put some runs together. Especially in that 4th inning,” Coach Jeremy York said.
After a two year run in district (18-5A) with the Aldine Schools, Memorial re-aligned with the Katy Schools in District 19-5A.
In the top of the first Katy’s second baseman Ivan Garcia led off with an infield single deep in the hole between third and short stop. In effort to move Garcia over to second, Center Fielder Colt Atwood beat out the throw to first base after laying down a beautiful bunt that was fielded by Memorial’s Catcher Wayne Taylor. Then Short Stop Dillion Mazzoccoli followed with a sac bunt that was placed in nearly the same spot as the previous, which was fielded by Pitcher Harris Rome who threw to first for the out as Atwood and Garcia advanced to second and third. Garcia scored on Cameron Friess’s sac fly to shallow right to give the Tigers a 1-0 lead.
For the moment the Tigers (13-4-1, 10-1) enjoyed a short lived lead until the bottom of the first inning. The Mustangs, trailing by a run scored four runs courtesy of Carter burgess 3-run blast and Rathjen’s solo shot, both were left field homers, 4-1.
“We just wanted out of the gates, come out quick and get some runs,” Carter Burgess Memorial’s short Stop said. “Rome pitched a heck of a game and we’re going to continue this and hopefully keep this going. In the first game we made a few mistakes on our part that hurt us big and we didn’t swing the bats well.”
Burgess, one of the top short stops in the state was superb on the night going 3-for-3 with four RBIs and nearly hit for the cycle with a single, double and a home run.
Mean while the Tigers answered with three runs in top of the second by way of a couple of home runs that tied the game at four. DH Angel Montoya connected on a solo round tripper and Garcia’s 2-run jolt were also to left field homers.
With an offense showing no signs of letting up, Memorial would go on to score eight unanswered runs including a rocket shot off the bat of Rathjen to move into a first place tie with Tigers with two games remaining.
Well the first at bat before me Carter hit a bomb and I figured why not match it and after that it got my confidence up,” said Beaux Rathjen Memorial’s Center Fielder. I was just seeing the ball real well. About the rocket shot, it was 2-0 and my coach gave me some words of wisdom and he gave me my pitch and I took advantage of the opportunity.
It was the bottom of the fourth proved to be the clincher when nine Mustangs came to plate, producing six runs on six hits highlighted by two 2-run homers, all after two outs. Rathjen rocket shot was so deep that it cleared the trees behind the fence in left center; it was a no brainier as soon as it left the bat.
“Well we thought that a lot of runs could be scored with the way the wind is. With the size of the ball park and the way their guys swinging the bat we knew we would have to score a lot of runs. They got a quality team, they swing the bat very well,” said Tom McPherson Katy’s Coach. “They are the best team we’ve seen swinging the bat by far and their pitcher did a good job and the one that came in to relief did a good job also. They took it to us today and now it’s one and one.”
Harris Rome pitched six complete innings for the victory, yielding four runs on five hits, eight strikeouts and five walks. Dylan Gaffney pitched 3 2/3 innings in a losing effort.
The Mustangs will travel to Seven Lakes Thursday for a 7 pm start. While Katy host Taylor on Thursday at 7:00 pm.
