On Saturday, April 9, 2011, the Jesuit Rangers took on Waco Midway in a much anticipated high school baseball matchup at the Ballpark in Arlington. Hyped by the Jesuit coaching staff and players for weeks, the game matched Waco, a top five team in UIL AAAA against the red-hot Jesuit Rangers.
Student turnout was fantastic for the game, with many Jesuit attendees being swayed by the promise of free Buffalo Wild Wings as well as free admission. As the students flocked to the game, the team prepared for what would be their toughest test of the season. Waco Midway featured a potent offense and a solid rotation, a dangerous combination that would prove too much for the Rangers to overcome. With Junior Christian Bartholomew on the hill, the Rangers quickly fell into a hole that they could not climb out of. Waco climbed on top of the Rangers early and never looked back, scoring seven runs total and turning in a 10 hit performance.
The highlight of the game, however, was something that Jesuit fans have become accustomed to: a Josh Bell mammoth home run. Bell took a pitch and turned it right around, sending it in to the bullpen in right field, crashing against the Chicken Express sign at the back. The two-run shot was estimated at 430 feet and all Jesuit members hope that this will be a sign of things to come in Josh’s career beyond high school.
Kevin Terry ’11, who hits in front of Bell, also recorded an extra base hit, a double that raised his average to a robust .353 with 13 extra base hits. Chris Cisneros ’12 recorded a hit on the big stage while Junior Ben Wright drew three walks. Nick Jordan, the reigning athlete of the week on the ScottyBart sports show, came in for Bartholomew and turned in a masterful performance, shutting down Midway for the rest of the game. Jesuit’s offense managed four runs off the Midway pitchers, not a bad performance considering the stature of the competition. While the 7-4 loss was not the ideal outcome, the competition will provide a good learning experience as the Rangers finish out the season. At 22-5, the Rangers look to close out the season strong and make a deep run into the playoffs.
