Junior Varsity Ricebirds start baseball season 3-0

El Campo's junior varsity baseball team made a great start to the year, winning their first three games. The Ricebirds were never really challenged against St. Joseph, Needville or Wharton and rolled to a 3-0 record.

EC vs. St. Joseph

El Campo conquered the St. Joseph Flyers 14-3 for their first win of the season.

The Ricebirds belted in four runs in the first to take a major lead.

Travis Deiss led off with a single and Garrett Miksik claimed first after he was hit by a wild pitch. A single by Cullen Pickett brought in Deiss for the first score of the game.

The next at-bat ended in a sacrifice fly ball to center field by Anthony Cruz. Though Cruz was out, Miksik came in for El Campo's second run.

Waylon Malone hit a single to get on base. He and Pickett scored the final two runs of the inning and put El Campo up 4-0.

The 'Birds made one more run in the bottom of the second. With two outs, Pickett hit a single and stole second base. Cruz connected for a double to center field and earned an RBI to give the Ricebirds a 5-0 lead.

The Flyers answered with three runs in the top of the third to cut El Campo's lead to 5-2, but the Ricebirds' bats came alive in the bottom of the inning.

El Campo combined for nine runs off an electric outing.

Colton Green got things started for the 'Birds with a single. Travis Acosta reached first on a St. Joseph fielding error to give El Campo two base runners.

A double by Chase McClain brought both runners in and extended the lead to 7-3.

Will Garrett hit a single to give El Campo two base runners and Andy Powell followed with a single to bring in McClain for another run. Garrett eventually stole home for the fourth run of the inning. Powell came in to score on a passed ball by St. Joseph's catcher.

Pickett and Cruz scored two more runs to put the Ricebirds up 12-3, but even then El Campo was not finished scoring.

Green hit a single and moved over to second on a balk. Acosta followed with speed to take base on a fielding error. McClain brought them both home in the next at-bat and the 'Birds moved ahead 14-3.

Solid defense held the Flyers scoreless through the fourth and fifth innings and the game was called after the top of the fifth. The Ricebirds earned their first win by a difference of 11 runs.

EC vs. Needville

The Ricebirds held off Needville for a 9-4 win.

The Blue Jays took the first lead with a run in the third inning, but El Campo quickly jumped on top and never lost the advantage. Four runs in the bottom of the third gave the 'Birds an early edge.

McClain got things started with a single and Garrett gave a sacrifice bunt to move him around the bases. The bunt turned into a big play due to an error by Needville's pitcher. McClain ran all the way home instead of moving one base as planned and the 'Birds tied the game at 1-1.

Deiss drew a walk in the next at-bat and after Garrett was caught out between third and home plate, scored the second run on an RBI by Miksik.

Pickett and Cruz both hit singles to put two runners on base and a couple of at-bats later, Green brought them both home with a single, to give El Campo a 4-1 lead after the inning.

El Campo scored another run in the bottom of the fifth inning. Pickett led off the inning with a single and was brought home on a double by Malone to put the Ricebirds up 4-1.

The bottom of the sixth was another big inning for El Campo.

McClain walked to start the inning and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Ryan Baumann. Deiss walked to give El Campo two base runners and the next at-bat was a score.

Lance Lieser hit a pinchhit single to knock in McClain. Deiss scored on a fielders' choice by Pickett and Lieser scored on a single by Cruz.

Cruz made the final run of the inning after Malone hit a double and brought him in to put the 'Birds up 9-1.

Needville answered with a three-run inning, but could not challenge the Ricebirds as El Campo finished with the win.

EC vs. Wharton

The Ricebirds claimed an 11-6 win in their cross-county rivalry with the Wharton Tigers.

Wharton started the game with a run in the first to take the lead, but El Campo tied the game in the second inning. Green hit a single and was brought in by Powell to put the score at 1-1.

Pickett scored El Campo's second run of the game in the third inning after reaching base on a walk. Green sent him running home with a single.

Miksik and Acosta both scored runs in the fourth inning to put the Ricebirds up 4-1 and in the fifth inning, Cruz, Green and Powell each scored and gave El Campo a 7-1 lead.

Wharton managed a run in the sixth, but the Ricebirds responded with four. Baumann, Powell, Miksik and Acosta each scored to put El Campo up 11-2.

The Tigers earned four runs in the seventh, but it was not enough to take down the Ricebirds in El Campo's latest win.