Corpus Christi Caller Times Caller.com - Moody delivers all-around beating to Texans, 10-0

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Saturday, April 8, 2000

Moody delivers all-around beating to Texans, 10-0

By George Vondracek
Caller-Times
The good news for Moody High School's baseball team is going to be distressing for the rest of the teams in District 28-5A and in Region IV.
   Knowing all along that there was talent up and down the lineup, the Trojans are starting to show it. Friday's 10-0 win over Ray in five innings at Cabaniss Field illustrated that.
   The bottom five batters in the order accounted for nine of Moody's 11 hits, eight of its 10 runs batted in and seven of its runners that scored.
   "They rank right up there with them," Ray coach Mario DeLeon said, comparing the 2000 edition of the Trojans with those successful teams of the past. "They're probably one of the better teams. They have the three, four good starting pitchers. They've got the pitching, a great catcher and defense. From one through nine, they all hit the ball. At any time, any one of those guys can hurt you."
   Moody, 7-0 in district and 23-1-1 overall, put an early hurt on the Texans (1-6, 11-10-1). Eleven Trojans batted and six scored. The big blows were a two-run home run by senior catcher David Castillo (his seventh of the year) and a two-run single from the No. 9 batter, senior James Trevino.
   The Trojans' Nos. 6-8 batters - sophomore designated hitter Andrew Casares, senior center fielder Jared Cooper and senior first baseman Brian Garza - also delivered RBI hits in the inning.
   "Not every day the one, two, three, four (batters) can do it," said senior right fielder Orlando Rodriguez, who threw out a Ray runner and made two other fine catches. "But today, the bottom part of the lineup came through."
   Trevino finished with three RBI, Casares was 3-for-3 with two runs batted in and Cooper delivered two RBI. Castillo, Moody's No. 3 hitter who is in a slight slump, now has 28 hits for the year, but they've accounted for 35 RBI.
   "I told them we're lacking one cylinder," said Moody coach Steve Castillo, whose team is ranked second in the state's 5A coaching poll and seventh nationally by Baseball America. "We're at about eight, but I told them we could slip back to four if we don't watch it.
   "It's like I said earlier, we weren't trying to put too much on them. But now we're starting to work them a little harder. We're trying to peak."
   Pitching, meanwhile, continues to be strong for the district leaders. Rene Recio (6-0) allowed three hits in four innings. Gene Flores came on and allowed only Brandon Franco's two-out double in the fifth. Steve Castillo had said earlier that none of his pitchers will complete a game - save for a no-hitter situation - in order to give the players as much work as possible.
   Plus, there was a scout from the Kansas City Royals in attendance, and Castillo wanted him to get a look at both Recio and Flores.
   "My first priority is to try and get these guys a (college) scholarship or a chance to get drafted," Castillo said. "If I have a chance, I'll do that."
   It appears the news just keeps getting better for the Trojans.
   Moody 10, Ray 0
   Ray 000 00- 0 4 1
   Moody 610 3x-10 11 2
   Game called because of 10-run rule.
   Gilbert Ray Sanchez, Mike Olmos (4) and Toro Trevino. Rene Recio, Gene Flores (5) and David Castillo. W - Recio (6-0). L - Sanchez (4-4). HR - Castillo (7). Records - Ray 1-6 district, 11-10-1 overall; Moody 7-0, 23-1-1.
   Highlights - Ray, Brandon Franco 2-3, 2B; Manuel Mungia 2-2. Moody, Castillo 2-run HR; Andrew Casares 3-3, 2RBI, 2B; Jared Cooper 2RBI; James Trevino 2-3, 3RBI; Brian Garza 2-3, RBI.


Staff writer George Vondracek can be reached at 886-3731 or by e-mail at vondracekg@caller.com

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