The loss drops the Trojans to 7-7 on the season and down to a 0-2 mark in District 30-4A play.
“Miller played good baseball. They did what they needed to do to score runs. We did not. We left nine runners on base, five in scoring position. That was the difference in the game,” said Trojan head coach Lamont Mayberrry.
Miller scored two runs in the top of the first to get off to a great start. The visitors added a single run in the second to stake themselves to a 3-0 lead.
The Trojans climbed back into the game with two runs in the bottom of the second. Ted Christensen opened the frame with a single. Macario Gonzales followed with a walk to put runners at first and second. Chris Parker laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt to move the runners into scoring position. Justin Rodriguez then rapped a two-run single to get the Trojans within one run at 3-2.
The two teams failed to score in the third inning, but the visitors struck for three more runs in the top of the fourth against Beeville starter Christensen. A Trojan error put one runner on base. A triple and a perfectly executed squeeze bunt got the Bucs their first and second runs of the inning. Two more singles brought home the visitors’ third run to make it a 6-2 contest. Eric Soza relieved Christensen on the mound with two outs and got the final out with a strikeout.
The Trojans answered quickly in their half of the inning. A one-out single off the bat of center fielder Cody Johnson got the Trojans started. Colt Burchett earned a free pass to put two runners on for Matt Botello. Botello came through with an RBI single to left that scored Johnson. Soza then knocked two runs in with a double and wound up on third base on the throw home. The rally died as the Miller pitcher got a strikeout and then on a come-backer was able to catch Soza off third in a run-down.
The score was 6-5 going into the top of the fifth and it remained 6-5 the rest of the way.
Soza finished with three and a third innings of shutout ball. Christensen took the loss for the Trojans, giving up five runs in the first three innings. Christensen came through at the plate with two hits in three trips. Justin Rodriguez also had two hits, including a double, while knocking in two Beeville runners. Soza had two RBI’s on his double.
“We have now lost five games by one run. We could be 12-2, but ‘could be’ is not reality. We have to learn how to start and finish ball games,” Mayberry said.
The Trojans were in Port Lavaca on Tuesday night. They will be back at home on Friday night when the Pirates from Rockport-Fulton pay a visit to Joe Hunter Field for a 7 p.m. game.
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