Texas JUCO Week 6 Recap
March 5, 2019
TEXAS, USA - This past week saw some a lot of things happen. The top teams losing, Teams unranked having big weeks, as well as one of the hottest teams in the state continuing to impress. This week had 7 teams have undefeated weeks: #5 Weatherford (4-0), #7 Panola (1-0), #14 Ranger (2-0), #18 Frank Phillips (2-0), #25 Hill (4-0), UR Temple (2-0), and UR North Lake (4-0).
This week we take a look into of those undefeated weeks, a quick recap of one top prospect in this year's upcoming draft, along with the recap of a series that was dominated by the pitchers.
#1 San Jac
San Jac did not have the week they were looking for losing two to #20 Wharton. In San Jac’s win, however, the pre-season #1 JUCO Prospect SO RHP Jackson Rutledge (Kentucky) showed why he earned that honor. Rutledge went 7 innings striking out 10 with only 2 walks.
#5 Weatherford (4-0)
Weatherford is arguably one of the hottest teams in the state. They finished the week extending their win streak to 7 with big wins over Western Texas and Region 5 Power New Mexico JC. The put up 37 runs while only giving up 7 in those four games. Their offense was led by SO INF Hunter Gieser (uncommitted) and FR 2B Cole Johnson. Gieser finished the week going 6-11 with a double, triple, home run, with 4 runs batted in 5 runs scored. Johnson was a force once he got on the base path. He hit 6-14 with a double, 3 runs batted in, 4 runs and 8 stolen bases only to be caught once.
On the mound for them SO RHP Trevis Sundgren (Texas State) pitched a complete game in their first game of the New Mexico doubleheader. Where he struck out 6, while only allowing 1 run.
UR North Lake (4-0)
North Lake started the week off by finishing a sweep of #15 Eastfield and concluded with a weekend sweep of #23 Richland. They currently sit 6-0 in and 2 games ahead of Cedar Valley for the top spot in the MAC Standings. They were led by SO INF Dillion Eatman (uncommitted) and FR OF Chad Vigen. Eatman hit .313 on the week with 2 doubles, 4 runs batted in and 5 runs. Vigen Hit .500 while getting walked 7 times, with 2 runs batted, 7 runs scored, and 4 stolen bases.
#21 Galveston vs #6 Blinn
As previewed last in the Week 6 Preview this series did not disappoint. Both pitching staffs showed up. While the defense between both teams only allowed 2 errors.
Game 1: Galveston 3 - Blinn 1
Galveston jumped out to an early 2-0 lead thanks to a SO INF Corbin Vines (Sam Houston) 2-run home run in the top of the first before. After that is when Blinn’s SO RHP Jacob Millender (Texas State) fell into a grove. Millender finished his day with 8 Innings pitched, 14 strikeouts, while only allowing 3 runs. Galveston's starter FR RHP Charles Peacock got the win for them going 7 innings striking out 10. Blinn's only run was a solo home run off the bat of SO OF/C Alec Sanchez (New Mexico) in the 7th before Peacock came out.
Game 2: Blinn 3 - Galveston 1
Blinn’s starter SO RHP Jackson Leath (Tennessee) controlled this game from the start. He went 7 innings with 5 strikeouts and 1 earned run. Blinn's offense was led by FR 2B Westley Schields who went 2-3 with a double and a run.
Game 3: Galveston 2 - Blinn 1
This game only went 5 innings due to weather that rolled in but both coaches agreed to play until they could not continue. On the mound for Galveston SO RHP Jacob Porter (Southeastern Oklahoma) went the whole 5 innings while striking out 3 and only giving up a run. For Blinn SO LHP Ryan Day came in in relief in the 3rd and shut down the Galveston offense not allowing a baserunner and striking out 5 of the 8 batters that he saw.
As a whole, both staffs had 10 earned runs with 47 strikeouts and just 8 walks.
Player of the week
Hitter
Weatherford SO. INF Hunter Gieser (uncommitted)
.545 Avg, double, triple, home run, 4 runs batted in, 5 runs scored.
Pitcher
Galveston FR. RHP Charles Peacock
7.0 IP, 10 strikeouts, 1 walk.
JUCO Wire