Each of the three regular season meetings between District 4-5A foes Monterey and Lubbock-Cooper baseball teams were decided by one run. It was a different story Friday night at Dan Law Field.
Timothy Haynes did his usual job for the Pirates. On the mound, he hit speeds of 90 miles per hour in the first inning and kept the Plainsmen offense from the base paths regularly. At the plate, he delivered a three-run home run during Cooper's four-run fourth inning to break the game open.
The Pirates walked away with the 6-2 win to take a 1-0 lead in their Region I-5A quarterfinal series. Game 2 is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Saturday with Game 3 to follow 30 minutes after, if necessary.
Gus Cook got thing started early with a triple to lead off the game. Julian Torres drove him in the next at-bat for an early 1-0 lead for Lubbock-Cooper.
Hector Villegas got out of a tight jam in the first, leaving the bases loaded to ensure it was only a one-run deficit when Monterey got to bat for the first time.
Things were quiet until the fourth when the Pirates loaded the bases with two outs and Haynes coming up to bat. One run scored on a wild pitch and Haynes took the next offering from Villegas into the visitor's bullpen in left field for a three-run home run.
In the bottom of the fourth, the Plainsmen got onto the scoreboard thanks to a Pirate error. Monterey had another runner at third with nobody out, but Haynes retired the next three batters. The last out came with a strikeout of fellow pitcher Villegas. A fired-up Haynes, who motioned to the Monterey crowd after his homer in the top of the inning, had a few words for Villegas as both players went to their respective dugouts.
The Plainsmen threatened in the bottom of the fifth but Haynes again got out of the tight spot, stranding runners at second and third.
Haynes finished the night with eight strikeouts in the complete-game victory.
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