East Bay opportunistic in mercy-shortened win at Hillsborough

Both Indians baserunner Maxzell Mathis (sliding) and teammate Johnathan Bryant (18) had it right, signaling that Mathis beat pitcher Adriano Parral’s tag on a wild pitch to score the second of five second-inning runs.

Chuck Frye, Senior Staff Writer

TAMPA – If history was any harbinger of success, East Bay and Hillsborough would be a regular feature on each other’s schedule.

After all, the last time the teams faced off against each other was in 2021 when Hillsborough outslugged the Indians, 10-7. It was also the last time both teams posted above-.500 records.

Currently, East Bay would be more than happy to make the Terriers a regular part of its schedule if Thursday night’s mercy rule-shortened 16-3 victory was any determining factor.

For more photos from this game, click here.

East Bay’s Rowland Ruiz sends home runner Maxzell Mathis …

Along with Rory Beauford Jr. to score on Connor Gavigan’s third-inning double. Ruiz was kept busy in the third base coaching box as the Indians scored 16 runs in beating Hillsborough.

Taking advantage of inconsistent pitching and defense, the Indians (now 2-5 and winners of two of its last three), turned opportunistic in support of grateful starter Cameron Cook, who went the five-inning distance.

“We got a huge game from Cameron,” said East Bay head coach Rowland Ruiz of the district win. “This was his first official start of the season and he helped us a lot, especially with a third game coming (this week). He saved our pitching for Saturday and we’re right where we want to be when we go to Armwood.”

East Bay junior Cameron Cook shook off some early nerves to finish with a five-inning two-hit victory over Hillsborough.

And Cook, who seemingly threw as many pitches between innings as he did on the mound, finished off a two-hit complete game strong by retiring 10 of the last 13 batters he faced.

“I just wanted to keep my arm warm,” the junior said of his unusual routine. “I mostly started that this season because I’m more serious into pitching than I was last year.”

erriers starting pitcher Adriano Parral and catcher Juan Pena talk things over during a second-inning timeout. Parral threw over 100 pitches in his 3 2/3-inning stint.

Trying to work a splitter into his repertoire, Cook had some control issues (two walks and four hit batters) but didn’t allow a Terrier runner into scoring position after the second inning.

“I felt good, but at some points, I felt like I could recuperate much easier after hit-by-pitches,” he said. “I’ve been taking a lot of deep breaths after throwing a ball or hitting a batter. That’s the main thing that helps me settle down.”

Hillsborough catcher Evan Issac exhales after throwing out an East Bay batter to end the fourth inning.

There was no settling down the Indians’ offense, which put up crooked numbers in every inning.

Every East Bay starter, and three of four substitutes, reached base in the victory while seven starters got on at least twice.

East Bay sophomore Connor Gavigan sprints past Hillsborough third baseman Chase Dennis to score on Eddie Smith’s second-inning base hit. Gavigan had two hits and three RBI in a convincing Indians victory.

The key cog in the lineup, as he has been all season so far, was Connor Gavigan. The sophomore delivered a pair of hits, including a clutch bases-loaded double as part of a four-run third inning, and scored three times.

“Baseball is a sport of adjustments. You’ve got to make changes constantly,” said Gavigan, who leads his squad with a .455 batting average and 14 runs batted in. “I struck out my first at-bat, so I talked to my coach and he thought (the Hillsborough pitcher) was throwing a little slow so I made the adjustment. I was thinking to sit back, I whipped the barrel of the bat and I caught (the ball) out front for a double.”

On his offensive success so far, Gavigan related: “My personal approach is that I’m always going to do great, think I’m going to go 4-for-4. Just go out there and approach it as if I’m the best player on the field and have a good mindset.”

With an RBI triple, an intentional walk, a hit batter, and three runs scored, senior and Arkansas Pine Bluff commit Rory Beauford Jr. was one of East Bay’s key offensive contributors in a win over Hillsborough.

Freshman No. 9 batter Maxzell Mathis added a pair of singles and an RBI, while seniors Rory Beauford Jr. (triple, intentional walk, hit by pitch; three runs scored) and DH Eddie Smith (two-run single, two walks, two runs scored) reached base three times each.

East Bay senior Eddie Smith (10, right) welcomes teammate Connor Gavigan at the plate after the sophomore scored a third-inning run on a wild pitch.

The Terriers (1-6) were also generous to the visitors, committing two errors that led to five unearned runs, walking 10 batters and hitting another, and uncorking five wild pitches.

Veteran Terriers head coach Bryan Burgess looks in to the plate during first-inning action.

“We had our pitching set up (by starting a three-games-in-three-days stretch with a blowout win over Middleton) but we didn’t make the plays behind him,” Hillsborough head coach Bryan Burgess said. “You’re going to pay when you make mistakes and we made them all. We’ve had that thing where you drop a popup and next thing you know it’s a five- or six-run inning. And until (Middleton, a 26-2 win), we haven’t swung it well, either, so when you’re down three, down four, down five, you feel like you’re down 10.”

Hillsborough freshman lefty Geisel Perez allowed one hit in his inning of work against East Bay.

Leadoff batter Daniel Pena continued his fine start at the plate (.478 so far) with a double and a run scored for Hillsborough while Curtis Roberts walked, singled, scored once, and drove a run in.

The Terriers will kick off a tough stretch of games on Friday, sending senior Ozzy Font to the bump when they travel to Plant. Next week, with Burgess away attending the funeral of his maternal grandmother, assistant coach Dale Allegree will lead the troops against Strawberry Crest, Armwood, and Sickles.

East Bay head coach Rowland Ruiz chats up Connor Gavigan (20) before a third-inning at-bat that ended up producing a three-run double.

East Bay 16
Hillsborough 3 – five innings

E 254|23x|x – |16|9|3
H 120|00x|x – |3|2|2
W – Cook (1-0); L – Parral (0-1)
2B – Gavigan (E); Pena (H); 3B – Beauford (E). Records – E (2-5); H (1-6).

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