Game 8 Apollos 8 Rangers 3
This game was shortened to 6 innings due to darkness. The Katy Braves/Tuzos game went extra innings as did the 10AM game, the start time was 5:45 PM instead of 4:00 PM. This was a definite advantage for Apollos who had to bring in 3 replacement players to get 9 players. Victor Franklin hit a 3 run homer and Matt Warren threw a complete game with solid defense to beat the Rangers. The Rangers 1b #14 hit another home run, his 8th against the Apollos which is by far the record, he feists everytime he sees blue and yellow. It was probably his most massive shot ever. The Apollos took advantage of 8 Ranger walks and a couple of Ranger errors including a huge overthrow of 1st base on strike three. This game was full of major game stories and the Apollos/Katy Braves played in Liga Obrera at Westbury which was Men's League field for years. The Apollos were supposed to be playing in Weimer but the season and series were canceled. The Apollos were happy to face the high power offensive Rangers 5 miles from home. The Apollos finished with a 7-2 record which is best record in league..Assuming they would join San Antonio the Apollos withdrew from Obrera Playoffs and New Orleans Tournament conflict.
Game 7 Apollos 11 Tigres del Carribean 5
Mike Wilson threw 8 innings limiting the high powered Tigres to 5 runs. The Apollos broke the game open with Alex Ruiz's bases loaded triple. This broke the score open and was a critical juncture in the game, Ruiz continued to come up huge for the Apollos the 2nd day in a row. Andrew Dunn walked 5 a team record 5 times. Mike Wilson dominated a very good offensive team.
Game 6 Apollos 8 Katy Braves 2
The Apollos played the Katy Braves and for the first time they played the same team in three different leagues HMABL,Coastal, Obrera. coach Williamson had an entire new set of players as usual. This group of Braves was much improved. The Apollos were in control of the game from the Beginning and set a team record without walking a batter. Mike Wilson threw seven innings allowing one unearned run and struck out 6 batters.
The Apollos played flawless until Pierce Mulvaney dropped an infield fly ball. Jeremy Powell pitched two innings allowing one run. Tim Brown's grand slam in the 9th left the score 8-2. Mike Wilson had 3 hits and two runs. The Bottom 4 of the Apollo lineup went blank. Eric Cantrell tried to cost the Apollos the game again as he struck out with bases loaded and two outs twice, swinging at pitches out of the zone. Eric had to bat and catch as the Apollos again barely got 9 players to the the park as many of their players have sadly lost interest in Liga Obrera. This could be last game in Obrera with San Antonio League beginning next Sunday.
Game 5 Baytown 11 Apollos 3
The Apollos and Baytown got to play on Valentine's Day at 11AM thus the Apollos borrowed players from every team in the city to get 9 players, it was still unsuccessful luckily Phillip Farmer found 2 high schoolers in the parking lot to give the Apollos exactly 9. Apollo regulars Alex Sample, Mike Wilson, Kyle Spangler, Alex Ruiz, AJ Fentana and Austin Sanders decided not to come leaving the Apollos little mathmatical chance of scoring runs. The Apollos sent Jeremy Powell to the mound and he did a great job allowing 5 runs in 5 innings and scattering hits. The Apollos were only down 5-2 going into the 6th. Marcus Moore came in and allowed 6 runs in one inning, including 4 walks. All of Baytown's damage was by Sonny Garcia, he hit multiple home runs and had 10 rbis.. The Apollos were unaware that he could hit.. The Baytown start feisted on the back half of the Apollos lineup, striking out 13 batters in the 5-6-7-8 hole...Victor Franklin had two hits and scored two runs, but didn't get to the game until the 4th inning because he couldn't find the field. Tim Brown continued his solid hitting as did Jeremy Powell.. Matt Warren had two solid hits as well, The Apollo defense continued to play well with only one error, but with a low turnout and major lack of interest in the league from the players, there will be a team meeting to see who wants to continue playing in Liga Obrera. It was unfornutate with one of the nicer fields available that none of the players wanted to play. Baytown has by far the pitching staff in Obrera... If anyone would have known Sonny Garcia was a homer machine then we could have limited their offensive damage..Garcia is known as Obrera's best pitcher not homer machine.
Game 4 Pelotros 7 Apollos 6 (10 innings)
without a doubt the worst loss in their Liga Oberra History the Apollos played the 2nd end of a doubleheader. This game was going on at the same time as AFC Championship Game so it was tough to get guys out...This game was the backend of a doubleheader in which 6 Apollo starters did not return for 2nd game...Still the Apollos had a chance to win this game...
Eric Cantrell turned in one of the worse performances in Apollo history. He was the starting pitcher and he allowed 3 runs in the first inning and a total of 8 hits in 5 innings and 5 runs. With only 9 players the Apollos were forced to bat Cantrell.
In the bottom of the 9th with the game tied Cantrell was a baserunner on third base on was picked off by a left handed pitcher with two outs and the top of the Apollos order up...Cantrell struck out with the bases loaded to end the game in the 10th. He then made two errors at first base...Jeremy Powell came in and pitched well 5 innings 2 runs for the loss. Both Runs were on errors.
The Apollos scored 5 runs in the 2nd and knocked the Peloteros starter out of the game, their reliever held the Apollos to one run in 5 innings.
Exhaustion set in with several players.
Game 3 Apollos 10 Colt 45's 6
The Apollos finally resumed play in Liga Oberra after a two month layoff and they were paired up with the best team in Oberra the Colt 45's...Alex Ruiz 1 monster homer, 4 rbis and Andrew Dunn 5 hits, 3 rbi's carried the Apollos offensively, Mike Wilson threw all 9 for a hard fought victory..
The Apollos scored two in the bottom of the first with Andrew Dunn single, Mike Wilson walk,Kyle Spangler Walk, Alex Ruiz grounded a ball that was booted by 2nd baseman for one run, Aj Fentana hit a sac fly for the other run. In the 4th Austin Sanders scored on Andrew Dunn single. In the 8th Andrew Dunn, Mike Wilson and Kyle Spangler walked. Stewart Musslewhite hit into a fielders choice. Then Alex Ruiz hit a pivotal three run homer that put the Apollos ahead 7-4... In the 9th Austin Sanders reached on an error, Tim Brown reached on an error, Andrew Dunn singled both in, and the Kyle Spangler drove Dunn in, leaving the score 10-6 and enough cushion to leave Wilson in for all 9 innings.
Before the game the Apollos assembled an excellent defense with Jeremy Powell at 1b, Stewart Musslewhite at 2b, AJ Fentana at SS, Kyle Spangler at 3b..
To prepare for the furious offensive attack of Colt 45's.. The difference in the game was defense, the 45's outhit and outpitched the Apollos.
The Apollos got huge inning ending double players in the 2nd, 4th, 5th and 6th innings. The 45's and the Apollos eached botched key run down plays that lead to rallies, the 45's 4-5 hitters crushed numerous extra base hits. The 45's protested Ruiz's Homer stating it hit the fence, the umpires were unsure what went on
Game 2 Nationals Forfeita
Exhibition Game-Apollos 3 Baytown 1
These two teams were supposed to play a game at Mason Park but the league needed the field for championship game so the teams played at Coastal Park... Mike Wilson threw 4 scoreless innings and got 4 hits driving in 2 runs and scoring the other run.. Asutin Sanders and Andrew Dunn each had 1 hit and 1 run. Isiah Villereal pitched 3 scoreless innings... The Apollos lead 3-0 after 7 innings, and Jeremy Powell gave up one run in the 8th. Offense was nearly impossible at Coastal Park with 45 degree weather. Chip Oliphant made his final start for Baytown before reporting to Laredo he shut out the Apollos for 4 innings.
Game 1 Apollos 8 Tuzos 5
The Apollos began their 9th season of play against the Tuzos at Schwartz Park in Liga Oberra.
The Apollos were in for many major adjustments after winning the Coastal League two weeks earlier. Gone were the wooden bats, artificial turf and plastic spikes and replaced with Schwartz Park infield, metal bats and steel spikes.
The wind was blowing in at Schwartz and the Apollos and all of their power were shutout for the first 4 innings of the game.
Zak Williams started for the Apollos but only could piotch 1-2/3 innings before leaving the game with arm problems...This forced the Apollos to bring in Isiah Villareal who pitched marvelously... He didn't allow a run in 4 innings of work.
In the 6th inning with two outs all of the damage was done. Tim Brown reached on an error. Kyle Spanlger singled, The Tuzos went to their lefty specialist to get out Alex Ruiz who drove a ball in the gap scoring Brown. AJ Fentana walked, Phillip Farmer walked socring another run, Jeremy Powell then had huge two rbi single. The Tuzos went to the pen again to get their closer to get out Austin Sanders and end the rally leaving the score 5-1 Apollos.
In the bottom of the 6th Villarell hit a batter gave up a hit and was replaced by Mike Wilson. Wilson gave up a triple off the fence and a single and the Tuzos tied the game 5-5.
In the 7th Andrew Dunn lead the inning off with single and a stolen base. Mike Wilson then crushed a double off the center field fence at Schwartz scoring Dunn.
In the bottom of the 8th Hell broke lose for the Tuzos, their lead off hitter singled to right field and right fielder Phillip Farmer threw the runner out at first base.
The next batter hit a ball in the center of the gap and Farmer hit AJ Fentana who throw the runner out trying to stretch the hit into a triple.
Wilson struck the next batter out.
In the 9th, the Tuzos walked Dunn and Wilson in consective order and after Dunn stole 2nd and 3rd, they attempted to pick Wilson off but threw the ball over the first baseman's head.
Kyle Spangler got a hit scoring Wilson and giving the Apollos an 8-5 lead.
wilson got out of another jam in the 9th striking out the tieing run to end the game.
The middle of order Brown-Spangler-Ruiz left Wilson at 2nd base with 0 outs in the 7th and the 9th. The Apollos hitters crushed many balls that the wind stopped and the Tuzos outfielders were solid all game.
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