JetHawks: Opportunities go by in home-opening loss to Mavericks
April 14, 2016
By ALONSO TACANGA/Valley Press
LANCASTER — In danger of getting zilch out of a bases-loaded, no-outs situation in the second inning on Thursday night, the No. 9 hitter in the JetHawks’ lineup seized the moment and stepped up to the plate.
By the end of the at-bat — which took place after Mark Wik and Jose Fernandez both grounded out into run-nullifying fielder’s choices at home — Kristian Trompiz was out, but not before lining a single to center field to drive in the first two runs of the home season for the JetHawks and then getting thrown out at second while trying to stretch the hit.
In the sixth inning of what turned out to be an 8-4 JetHawks’ defeat at the hands of High Desert, Trompiz came to bat again with two outs and the bases full of teammates, but this time he was unable to come through.
“I was really focused in the first opportunity with bases loaded, trying to find the bottom of the barrel, make contact,” Trompiz said. “The second time it was the same plan, but you know, things happen.”
Five played games into the season and with the punishing wind blowing napkins and cups all around The Hangar, the JetHawks (2-3) had much of that happen to them, only cashing in Trompiz’s two runs in three bases-loaded situations.
With Lancaster at their heels seemingly all night, the Mavericks (6-2) never trailed, scoring three runs in the second inning, one in each the fourth, the fifth and the eighth, and two more in the ninth.
“It’s early in the season,” JetHawks manager Ramon Vasquez said. “It’s just the kind of stuff that’s going to happen sometimes. They’ll snap out of it.”
Jason Martin and Nick Tanielu went 2-for-5 and Jamie Ritchie went 2-for-4 with a double for the JetHawks, who started a seven-game homestand after returning from a seven-game road trip in which only four games were completed due to weather problems.
The Mavericks struck first. Tripp Martin doubled to left field to lead off the second inning and Juremi Profar drove him in with a single to right before David Lyon doubled to left center to put runners at second and third with no outs.
A single to right by Josh Morgan scored Profar and a Michael De Leon groundout to first drove in another run for High Desert, which led 3-0 heading into the bottom of the second inning.
That’s where Tanielu and Ritchie hit consecutive singles and Bryan Muniz walked to load the bases, but Wik and Fernandez grounded to the third baseman, who easily threw the runners standing at third base out at home back-to-back.
The JetHawks would strand two in the eighth and three more in the ninth. With only one out left in the game, Vasquez used pinch-hitter Garrett Stubbs in place of Fernandez, but Stubbs grounded out to the first baseman to end the game.
“Jose wasn’t having very good at-bats today and Stubbs is a good fastball hitter,” Vasquez said.
On the mound for the JetHawks, starter Elieser Hernandez went four innings, giving up nine hits, four runs (three earned) and a walk with a strikeout.
Lefty Evan Grills relieved him and finished the game, giving up four runs (three earned) on five hits (two home runs) and a walk while striking out five.
Trailing 5-2 entering the bottom of the sixth, Lancaster got to work with two outs.
A Ritchie double scored Martin and three consecutive walks by Adam Quintana, the last one drawn by Fernandez, brought in a fourth Lancaster run to cut the deficit to one.
But after Trompiz struck out to end the threat, the Mavericks added a run in the eight and a two-run homer by Martin in the ninth all but sealed it.
“I’m counting on them making adjustments as the season goes on,” Vasquez said.
Overall the JetHawks left 13 men on base while slugging out nine hits, compared to the Mavericks’ 14.
The good news: It’s only the fifth game of a long season. The JetHawks get to try to cash in their opportunities again today against the Mavericks at 6:35 p.m.
“We just really got back from a really long trip,” Vasquez said. “It’s been a long last couple days. Most of these guys don’t even have an apartment yet.
“It’s going to turn around, so I’m not really worried about it.”
By ALONSO TACANGA/Valley Press
LANCASTER — In danger of getting zilch out of a bases-loaded, no-outs situation in the second inning on Thursday night, the No. 9 hitter in the JetHawks’ lineup seized the moment and stepped up to the plate.
By the end of the at-bat — which took place after Mark Wik and Jose Fernandez both grounded out into run-nullifying fielder’s choices at home — Kristian Trompiz was out, but not before lining a single to center field to drive in the first two runs of the home season for the JetHawks and then getting thrown out at second while trying to stretch the hit.
In the sixth inning of what turned out to be an 8-4 JetHawks’ defeat at the hands of High Desert, Trompiz came to bat again with two outs and the bases full of teammates, but this time he was unable to come through.
“I was really focused in the first opportunity with bases loaded, trying to find the bottom of the barrel, make contact,” Trompiz said. “The second time it was the same plan, but you know, things happen.”
Five played games into the season and with the punishing wind blowing napkins and cups all around The Hangar, the JetHawks (2-3) had much of that happen to them, only cashing in Trompiz’s two runs in three bases-loaded situations.
With Lancaster at their heels seemingly all night, the Mavericks (6-2) never trailed, scoring three runs in the second inning, one in each the fourth, the fifth and the eighth, and two more in the ninth.
“It’s early in the season,” JetHawks manager Ramon Vasquez said. “It’s just the kind of stuff that’s going to happen sometimes. They’ll snap out of it.”
Jason Martin and Nick Tanielu went 2-for-5 and Jamie Ritchie went 2-for-4 with a double for the JetHawks, who started a seven-game homestand after returning from a seven-game road trip in which only four games were completed due to weather problems.
The Mavericks struck first. Tripp Martin doubled to left field to lead off the second inning and Juremi Profar drove him in with a single to right before David Lyon doubled to left center to put runners at second and third with no outs.
A single to right by Josh Morgan scored Profar and a Michael De Leon groundout to first drove in another run for High Desert, which led 3-0 heading into the bottom of the second inning.
That’s where Tanielu and Ritchie hit consecutive singles and Bryan Muniz walked to load the bases, but Wik and Fernandez grounded to the third baseman, who easily threw the runners standing at third base out at home back-to-back.
The JetHawks would strand two in the eighth and three more in the ninth. With only one out left in the game, Vasquez used pinch-hitter Garrett Stubbs in place of Fernandez, but Stubbs grounded out to the first baseman to end the game.
“Jose wasn’t having very good at-bats today and Stubbs is a good fastball hitter,” Vasquez said.
On the mound for the JetHawks, starter Elieser Hernandez went four innings, giving up nine hits, four runs (three earned) and a walk with a strikeout.
Lefty Evan Grills relieved him and finished the game, giving up four runs (three earned) on five hits (two home runs) and a walk while striking out five.
Trailing 5-2 entering the bottom of the sixth, Lancaster got to work with two outs.
A Ritchie double scored Martin and three consecutive walks by Adam Quintana, the last one drawn by Fernandez, brought in a fourth Lancaster run to cut the deficit to one.
But after Trompiz struck out to end the threat, the Mavericks added a run in the eight and a two-run homer by Martin in the ninth all but sealed it.
“I’m counting on them making adjustments as the season goes on,” Vasquez said.
Overall the JetHawks left 13 men on base while slugging out nine hits, compared to the Mavericks’ 14.
The good news: It’s only the fifth game of a long season. The JetHawks get to try to cash in their opportunities again today against the Mavericks at 6:35 p.m.
“We just really got back from a really long trip,” Vasquez said. “It’s been a long last couple days. Most of these guys don’t even have an apartment yet.
“It’s going to turn around, so I’m not really worried about it.”