Momentum shift leads to Steers loss to Glen Rose

Momentum shift leads to Steers loss to Glen Rose News Staff Tue, 04/16/2024 - 1:02 pm

• (TC GORDON | THE GRAHAM LEADER) Junior Colter Johnson has a big follow through on one of his big hits during the team’s recent game against Glen Rose. Johnson doubled in the game and scored one of Graham’s two runs in the Steers’ 6-2 loss to the Tigers last Friday, April 12.
• (TC GORDON | THE GRAHAM LEADER) Junior Levi Jilek throws the ball across the field from his position at third base during warmups between innings in Graham’s 6-2 loss to Glen Rose last Friday, April 12.
• (TC GORDON | THE GRAHAM LEADER) Junior Mason Milton works through his windup and fires a pitch home during Graham’s 6-2 loss against Glen Rose last Friday, April 12. Milton pitched 2 1/3 innings before exiting the game with an injury after getting hit by a comebacker on his throwing arm.

TC Gordon sports@grahamleader.com

In almost every sport, one of the many keys to success is momentum. Even in baseball, teams build momentum through consecutive hits or with a pitcher and defense working together to keep a hot team at bay.

Last Friday’s game between Graham and Glen Rose was a perfect example of how momentum swings can change a game. The Steers had it at first, then Glen Rose took over and rode that momentum to hand Graham a 6-2 loss.

While most teams, coaches and players will deny one play would change the entire outcome of a game, Graham has a strong case in this one. Starting pitcher Mason Milton was cruising through the first two innings against Glen Rose’s lineup.

Through 2 1/3 innings, Milton held the Tigers hitless and kept them off balance with his solid mix of fastballs and offspeed pitches. After getting the first out in the third inning, he hit the next batter to put a runner on first. The hitter after that shot a rocket of a hit right back at Milton, hitting him in his throwing arm.

Milton scrambled to try to make the play for an out at first but threw the ball into the outfield for an error. That set up runners on second and third for Glen Rose and Milton had to come out of the game with the injury.

“We started out really well. Mason’s just cruising up on the mound and an unfortunate line drive comes back and gets him on the throwing arm,” head coach Allen McGee said. “So hopefully he’ll be healthy and ready to go next week.”

Bruin Wright came on in relief of Milton and got the first hitter out on a fielder’s choice that scored the visitors’ first run. But the next two hitters both singled to score runs, and after Graham came into the inning leading 2-0, they left it trailing 4-2.

The Steers had started out the game strong offensively, especially against one of the top pitchers in the district. In the first inning, Tripp Mahaney got hit by a pitch, Ryder Taylor hit a double and then Mahaney came in to score on a wild pitch.

In the second inning, Colter Johnson led off with a double, Cameron Calhoun sacrifice bunted him to third and Johnson scored the team’s second run on another wild pitch.

Unfortunately, that would be the last scoring the Steers would get in the game, and with Milton’s injury, the Tigers turned things around quickly.

“You can’t deny momentum definitely swung in (Glen Rose’s) favor,” McGee said. “We’ve got to just do a better job— I’ve got to do a better job of being able to stop that momentum right then.”

Wright ended up pitching three innings but ran into trouble again in the sixth inning when he allowed the Tigers to load the bases. Harison Brockway came on in relief of Wright, but two more runs came in before Graham recorded the third out.

The Steers came close to scoring one other time in the fifth inning but couldn’t break through and failed to get anything going in the final two frames before Glen Rose claimed the victory. As the regular season winds down, the Steers will try to move on past this game as they look to a potential postseason run.

“We’ve got to flush it, we’ve got to get over it, learn from this to get to the next week, because next week is all that matters,” McGee said. “Now if we want to play in May, we’ve got to take care of next week.”

After a home game Tuesday, April 16 against Mineral Wells, the Steers’ final regular season game will be Friday, April 19 on the road against the Rams with both games set for 7 p.m.

• Sports

Breaking News Off