Corpus Christi Caller Times Caller.com - No thrill in playoff rematch as Moody marches past McAllen Rowe in 17-3 rout

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Saturday, March 17, 2001
No thrill in playoff rematch as Moody marches past McAllen Rowe in 17-3 rout
First baseman Casares belts two home runs to lead Trojans in win over Warriors
By Lee Goddard
Caller-Times
In last season's high school playoffs, Moody and McAllen Rowe's baseball teams faced off in a tremendous three-game series in which Moody barely emerged victorious.
   So much for Friday's rematch.
   In a battle of teams with almost totally revamped rosters, the Trojans looked to be much further along in the rebuilding process, trouncing Rowe 17-3 at Cabaniss Field in a game called in the fifth inning due to the 10-run mercy rule.
   It was a far cry from last year's Class 5A regional semifinal, where Moody was no-hit in the first game, then stormed back to win the final two games of the series and advance into the postseason.
   But despite the large margin of victory on Friday, Moody junior first baseman Andrew Casares - the only returning starter from last season's Class 5A state-finalist team - picked at some areas in which he believed the Trojans needed to improve.
   "We need a lot of work on things mentally," said Casares. "We're making a lot of (mental) errors, showing up late and not showing enough pep. Things like that."
   Still, lacking those characteristics didn't hurt Moody (13-3-1, 2-0) against former playoff rival and current District 29-5A foe Rowe.
   In fact, the Warriors (10-4, 1-1) looked to give the Trojans the game in the first inning. The first four runs of the game scored because of the inaccuracy of Rowe starter Josh Wenzel (3-2), who hit a batter to force in a run, and allowed three more to score off wild pitches. In scoring the first four runs of the game, Moody had only one hit - that being a single by Arnold Meza.
   By the time Allen Castillo blooped a two-run double into right field to stretch the lead to 6-0, the Trojans had already struck out four times in the inning.
   That didn't sit well with Moody coach Steve Castillo, who threatened his team with extra running after practice if they didn't display patience at the plate.
   "After a while, we got on them," Castillo said. "We said the next guy on the team that strikes out is going to run seven home runs (around the field sprints) after we did our usual running in the next practice. We didn't have a starter strike out after that."
   The batters may have been more focused after those words. The Trojans sent 15 players to the plate in scoring 10 runs in the second. Casares - who would also drill a solo homer to dead center in the fourth - led off with a solo shot down the right field line to start the inning.
   "We started off late," Casares said. "We made some mistakes. We came around pretty late. But, better late than never, huh?"
   A little later in the second, the rout began in earnest. While Michael Cantu added a two-run triple, Meza, who went 3 for 3 with a double, highlighted the inning with a grand slam.
   Staked to a 16-0 lead by the end of the second, Moody starter Noe Martinez (5-0) cruised through the Rowe lineup. Martinez struck out seven in his five innings of work, while allowing five hits, one of which was a three-run home run in the fourth by Calistro Garcia.
   While defeating Rowe handily, Castillo still sees a long trek before his team can start thinking about deep postseason trips.
   "We're still making a lot of mistakes," he said. "I say if (Rowe) got out of the first, it's a different ballgame. We've still got a long way to go before we're a playoff caliber team. Every time this team plays, we're still growing. We still have a long way to go."
   Moody 17, Rowe 3
   Rowe 000 30 -3 5 2
   Moody 6(10)0 1x -17 12 0
   Josh Wenzel, Rene DelBosque (1), Victor Barragan (2) and Elias Garcia. Noe Martinez and Arnold Meza. L - Wenzel (3-2). W - Martinez (5-0). Records - Rowe, 10-4, 1-1; Moody, 13-3-1, 2-0. HR - Rowe, Calistro Garcia; Moody, Andrew Casares (2), Arnold Meza. Highlights - Moody, Casares 2-3, 2HR; Meza 3-3 2B, HR, 4RBI.

Staff writer Lee Goddard can be reached at 886-3613 or by e-mail at goddardl@caller.com

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