Covey Morrow broke the TCL record for appearances in a single-season on Thursday night
The Victoria Generals 2011 season came to an end on Thursday night as they lost 3-2 to the Brazos Valley Bombers in Bryan. The Bomber's victory means that there will be a new champion in the Texas Collegiate League this season as the Generals, the defending champions, did not qualify for the post-season. The Bomber's win sends them into the TCL playoffs as the #4 seed and sends the Generals home for the summer.
The Bombers jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the ballgame as Generals starting pitcher Blake Denman struggled with his control. Denman allowed the first three batters to reach base in the first inning on a walk, a hit batsmen, and a bunt single. After getting two outs, Denman walked Brennyn Smith with a full count on a questionable call by the home plate umpire to force in the first run of the game.
The Generals took the lead in the third inning by scoring two runs with the heart of their lineup. Jake Runte led things off with a walk and advanced to second on a ground out by Chad Kruse. Freddy Villalobos then delivered an RBI single to centerfield to score Runte to tie the game. Ryan Dalton drilled a double over the left fielder's head to score Villalobos from first base to give the Generlas the 2-1 lead.
The Bombers tied the game at 2-2 in the sixth inning on an RBI double by Smith.
The Generals threatened in the seventh inning as they had runners on second and third with only one out, but with the infield drawn in, Runte grounded out and the Bombers were able to double up Clay Cunningham who had ventured too far off the bag at second.
Denman walked the first batter that he faced in the bottom half of the seventh inning to end his night. He pitched six plus innings on the night, allowing three hits and five walks.
Jordan Harrison was brought on in relief for the Generals. A sacrifice bunt moved the runner to second, then a sacrifice fly moved the runner to third before Trey Porras hit a ball into right field to drive in the go-ahead run and give the Bombers the 3-2 lead.
The Generals threatened in the ninth as they had the tying run on second base with two outs, but a ground out by Jake Mendiola in his first at bat in a Generals uniform ended the game and the season for the Generals.
Covey Morrow did make his 30th appearance of the season in the ninth inning for the Generals which broke the TCL record of 29 set by Alex Chalfant by the Graham Roughnecks back in 2006.
The Generals finished the 2011 season with a record of 28-31, their first losing season in their three year history.
GAME NOTES: Freddy Villalobos picked up his 40th RBI of the season, leaving him just one shy of tying the TCL record for a single-season. Chad Kruse went 0-for-4 on the night to close out the season with 77 hits and 237 at bats, both of which are new TCL records for a single-season.
Box Score: http://tcl-generals.bbstats.pointstreak.com/boxscore.html?gameid=48505
Article: http://www.brazossports.com/baseball/Bombers-win-to-clinch-playoff-berth
Article: http://www.bvbombers.com/newsroom/?article_id=693
Article: http://www.advosports.com/news/2011/aug/11/generals_081211_148640/
