Reagan tops Smithson Valley, advances to baseball regional semifinals
Friday night at North East Stadium, nobody was more of a big-time player than Teagan Peeples. The Reagan senior pitched 31/3 innings of one-hit relief to earn the victory on the mound and also had the game-winning hit as the Rattlers beat Smithson Valley 3-2 in eight innings to sweep their Class 6A region quarterfinal series 2-0.
With the win, Reagan advances to next week’s region semifinals against O’Connor or Eagle Pass. The Rattlers also avenged a 2021 postseason elimination against Smithson Valley. “This was a bit of a storybook ending,” said Peeples, who went 2-for-4 with two RBI at the plate. “I made a lot of high-stress pitches tonight, but I was able to make some pitches and my defense got some outs when we needed it. We knew it was going to be a war tonight and it really was.” Friday’s game was full of the drama that comes along with a pair of talented teams playing deep in the playoffs in front of a standing-room-only crowd of more than 1,700. “It was a good game,” said Reagan coach Rodney Chapman. “We knew that we’d have to beat Smithson Valley at some point if we wanted to keep advancing in our bracket. Smithson Valley is a tough team, but our kids really had this one circled on their brackets. Last year, I think we did some uncharacteristic things to help them out and we didn’t do that tonight, even if it wasn’t pretty at times.” Smithson Valley got the game’s first run in the bottom of the first inning. With two outs, David De Hoyos singled up the middle and advanced to second when Reagan pitcher Seth Morrow was called for a balk. Ethan Gonzalez then grounded a ball to the shortstop, but an errant throw drew the first baseman off the bag and De Hoyos — who had been running on contact — came around to score on the play to give the Rangers an early 1-0 advantage. The lead lasted until the top of the third, when Reagan scored a pair of two-out runs to go up 2-1. After the first two batters were retired, Ashton Beaird drew a walk and moved to third on a single by Britton Moore. Peeples then singled Beaird home to tie the game and put runners on first and second. Cole Tabor reached on another walk to load up the bases, and Brennan Greer was hit by a pitch to bring home Moore, give the Rattlers the lead and chase Smithson Valley starter Zach Gingrich from the game. Gingrich exited having given up two runs — both earned — on three hits with two walks and a hit batsman in 22/3 innings of work. Ranger reliever Jackson Alexander struck out the next batter, but the damage had been done and Reagan held its narrow 2-1 lead. Smithson Valley almost got a run back in the bottom half, as Kasen Wells led off the inning with a single, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Tim Arguello and stole a base to put a runner on third with two outs. However, Morrow coaxed a groundout to second base to end the Rangers’ attempt at a rally and keep Reagan ahead, 2-1. Reagan - which has now won eight straight games - had a chance to build on its lead in the top of the fourth, getting a walk, single and another hit batsman to load the bases with one out for the top of the Rattlers’ order. However, Alexander came through when the Rangers needed it most, getting a strikeout and groundout to snuff out the rally and keep it 2-1. Smithson Valley responded in the bottom half, using a walk, hit and a sacrifice bunt to get runners to second and third with one out. When Bryce Wells lifted a fly ball to center field, it appeared the Rangers had the sacrifice fly they needed to tie the game at 2. But Moore had different plans, as he caught the fly ball and then promptly gunned down the runner trying to score from third, giving the Rattlers an inning-ending double play to maintain their lead. The Rangers finally broke through to tie the game in the bottom of the fifth. With a runner on first and two outs, De Hoyos and Gonzalez put together consecutive singles to bring home Kasen Wells to make it 2-2 after five innings. Reagan replied in the top of the sixth, using three walks off of Alexander and M.J. Espinoza to load the bases with two outs. But again the Rattlers missed out, as a flyout to center field ended the inning and kept Reagan from taking the lead. The Rattlers left 13 runners on in the game, including leaving the bases loaded three times in four innings during the middle portion of the game. “We had chances to open up the game, especially early,” said Chapman. “But Smithson Valley kept making plays and pitches to get out of trouble. I just told our guys to keep battling during their at-bats and we got the extra hit we needed.” Alexander threw 21/3 scoreless innings of relief for Smithson Valley before being lifted, only giving up one hit and striking out three while walking three and hitting one batter. The Rattlers finally got the break they needed in the top of the eighth. Jacob King reached on an error and was bunted to second by Ashton Beaird. Moore was intentionally walked to set up a forceout, but Peeples made Smithson Valley pay, singling through the left side to bring home King and give Reagan a 3-2 lead. In the bottom half, Peeples headed back out to the mount to try and finish out the game. De Hoyos led off the inning with a double, and after a walk, the Rangers had runners on first and second with no outs. However, Peeples got a short flyout to left field and a groundball that resulted in a fielder’s choice. With runners now on first and third and two outs, Peeples got one last flyout, this one to right field, for the final out that sealed the Rattlers’ win and punched their ticket to the Region Semifinals. “ showed a lot of confidence in me after he left me in ,” said Peeples, who allowed one hit and walked one in his 31/3 innings of work. “I just knew I needed to keep making pitches and I did. For me, didn’t play much into my thoughts. To me, this series and playing them is another step in the road to where we want to go.. They won the region last year and this year, we want to do it.”“I was going with the whole time,” Chapman. “We used him as our closer and in some big spots and he just has that big-game mentality. He’s the guy we wanted on the mound in that spot and he found a way to win.” Morrow worked 42/3 innings for Reagan before being relieved by Peeples, giving up two runs on seven hits with a walk and a strikeout. Brennan Greer, Moore and King had a hit apiece to account for the Rattlers’ other hits in the contest. Espinoza took the loss for Smithson Valley, allowing one unearned run on three hits with three walks and one hit batsmen in three innings of work. The Rangers’ pitchers combined to hand out eight walks and hit three batters in the game. De Hoyos was 3-for-4 with a double, and Kasen Wells, Gonzalez, Espinoza, Bryce Wells and Cade Hansen had a hit apiece in the loss.
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