On Fri. March 7, Buena baseball season kicked off with an exciting 5-2 win at home against Dos Pueblos High School. Shedding the skin of the season from last year, the Bulldogs were able to showcase their new and improved team.
“We were just coming back, a new season, fresh start, new coaches, and just getting back into that winning feeling,” junior third baseman Mason Trigo said.
With the sun shining, a nice light breeze, and not a cloud in the sky, the game began with Senior Miguel Magallanes leading the Buena defense as the starting pitcher. The Bulldogs started off in a rough spot, hitting the first batter with a pitch and allowing that same runner to advance to third base. The Chargers were able to continue to advance runners, scoring a run, ending the inning 1-0, Dos Pueblos. The top of the first was put to a close by an outstanding double play turned by Junior second baseman Isaac Speer, to Senior first baseman Andres Carrillo.
Momentum, the key to winning this game, slowly started to build for Buena’s offense, however a runner had yet to hit a base.
“We told them, ‘Don’t let up. All gas, no breaks, stay confident,’” head coach Bryson Wallet said.
Throughout the next inning, the Bulldogs kept the Chargers at a stale 1-0. There were some great plays, most notably the final out made by Senior left-fielder Royal Riggs, who made a great hustle to end the inning. At the same time, Magallanes began to show more and more skill at pitcher, striking out his first batter of the game.
During the same inning, Buena picked up their offense, cheering on their first batter of the inning Senior designated-hitter Elijah Paris, showing a great level of excitement when Paris hit a pitch and advanced to first. Junior right-fielder Gabe Alonzo was next up, hitting an amazing line-drive-base hit and putting runners on first and second base. Dos Pueblos allowed a wild pitch to advance runners to second and third base. Once again Speer, made an amazing contribution to Buena’s success, hitting a hard grounder that beat Dos Pueblos infield and allowed Buena to score in two runs that put Buena in the lead 2-1.
Buena stayed level headed though the rest of the game, bringing in a new pitcher Senior Kenny Herron, who helped show off the improvement Buena had made since last season. Buena secured the win at the end of the fifth inning, when they scored three runs due to base hits and two doubles by both Carrillo and Trigo.
The game ended, 5-2 Buena, launching the Bulldogs into what looks to be an exciting season.
“The key is just to clear my mind, and just keep doing me, keeping a steady mind,” Speer said.
