Brock baseball pulls away from Corpus Christi London, advances to 3A state championship
Brock baseball lost a late lead against Corpus Christi London in the UIL Class 3A high school baseball state semifinals.
But the Eagles retook it in the final frame and added two insurance runs to secure a 5-2 victory at Dell Diamond on Friday. Brock will face either Gunter or Franklin in the Class 3A state championship at 9 a.m. on Saturday.
Brock junior right fielder Jesse Rusinek, a Texas Tech commit, led the offense with a walk and two doubles. His first double drove in two runs and came with two outs in the second inning.
“Jesse (Rusinek) has been locked in all year,” Brock head coach Koby Page said. “He had a really good approach today. Just hitting balls hard and doing what he does. ... Anytime you can be the first team to get runs, that’s huge. It puts a whole lotta pressure on them.”
Brock, in the third inning, loaded the bases with one out, forcing a London pitching change. The Pirates pulled starter Blayne Lyne in favor of Blake Waters, who leads the team with 12 wins.
The Eagles then went for a suicide squeeze but it failed. Sophomore Jake Windle made contact with a bunt attempt but it was caught by London catcher, which resulted in a strike and a live ball.
“That’s a good play on their part,” Page said of London. “We’ve just got to think through things and not be so antsy.”
Centerfielder Sawyer Strosnider, a TCU commit, was tagged out at the plate and Windle then flew out to end the inning.
Both teams were held off the scoreboard until the sixth inning, when Brock starting pitcher Evan O’Connor was pulled after allowing consecutive singles. Page knew London struggled with lefties, and O’Connor delivered a solid performance. He kept the game scoreless, allowing three hits and four walks.
“He didn’t want to come out and I don’t blame him,” Page said. “The kid is a competitor. But he did a heck of a job going out there and settling in.”
London’s Blake Watters then hit a ground ball to Brock third baseman Hunter Martin, who rushed a throw that sailed over first base.
A run scored due to the errant throw. Brock pitcher Cam Harris proceeded to hit two batters, which allowed London to score the tying run.
The Eagles, however, responded in the seventh inning. Brock’s Canon Lightfoot sparked the rally with a leadoff walk and Strosnider, who has only struck out three times this season, notched a key base hit.
Page gave Lightfoot the green light to advance to third base. Lightfoot was nearly tagged out with the throw beating him, but he was able to get his hand in to reach safely.
“(Strosnider) has been a rock for us in the three hole,” Page said. “He hit that ball really hard. It got out to the right fielder a whole lot quicker than I thought. Canon (Lightfoot) is not the fastest on the team but I was sending him. Thank goodness they didn’t make a great throw and he was safe.”
After Harris was intentionally walked, Cooper Massey drew a bases loaded walk to retake the lead.
Brock still had the bases loaded with no outs. Gaven delMas struck out looking. After, an error from Watters, the pitcher, resulted in two insurance runs.
Watters had a chance at a double play but an off target throw to the plate got by the catcher. Watters took time to showcase his disappointment and was late to cover home, which resulted in another Eagle run.
Harris, after a shaky sixth inning, came back to finish the game. He loaded the bases, but a caught pop up in foul territory ended the ballgame.
“It was a big time spot for Cam (Harris),” Page said. “He is a competitor. .. We got in a tight spot there. That’s just what he does -- he bears down and finds a way to win a game.”
Brock (35-3) made its eighth state tournament appearance and will look for its second state championship on Saturday. The Eagles sole baseball state title victory came in the 2006 season.
Page said the Eagles will try to have fun in the title game.
“Obviously, we want to win,” Page said. “We’re going to try to bear down and scout ‘em a little bit. We’re going to see what we got. Relax, enjoy the moment and allow everything that you’ve put in from growing up your whole life playing baseball -- just let your instincts take over. We’re here for a reason. Rely on what has gotten you here.”
This story was originally published June 7, 2024 at 1:09 PM.
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