This week’s tournament marked the home opener at Wright Field for the Rangers.
3/2/23 11:00 AM: Plano East Game 1
Starting during the lunchtime of most Jesuit students, the midday home opener on Thursday was packed. Students piled in the stands for the first pitch. This game didn’t disappoint as it came down to the wire. Junior Joe Allen took the mound, striking out five, only allowing three hits, and one earned run. Senior Will Greenwood relieved him, pitching a dominant two innings, striking out half the batters. The scrappy offense helped the Rangers win 4-2 with extra-base hits by both seniors, Weston Okamoto, and Jonah Timmons.
3/2/23 1:30 PM: Plano East Game 2
The second game of this doubleheader was quite different from the first, full of offense. Seven Rangers had a hit and out of that four Rangers had multi-hit games, including seniors Nick Barber and Dominic Migliore, sophomore Jake Fults, and freshman Taylor Haddock. Haddock notched a home run and a double in his two-for-three performance. The Rangers put up seven quick runs but Plano East matched with seven of their own. The game came down to a close play at the plate for Jonah Timmons for the final out, and the final score ended in a tie, 7-7.
3/3/23 11 AM: Bryon Nelson
This exciting midday game was the place to be Friday as Ranger’s ace pitcher, senior Luke Isett took the mound. He showed his dominance throwing a complete game under a hundred pitches, and only allowing two hits. The Rangers had chances early and often with many runners on base but didn’t capitalize. Both Jonah Timmons and Nick Barber had a multi-hit game. But when it came down to the end, Junior Cam Davis came through hitting a liner up the middle scoring a runner from second to walk it off in the bottom of the seventh. The rangers won 3-2. Cam reflecting back on his hit says
“It was all pure joy as all my teammates rushed the field and jumped on me, pouring water on me…an experience of a lifetime!”
3/3/23 6:30 PM: Lovejoy
This game proved a test for the Rangers as Lovejoy was a top-ranked team in Texas. Sophomore Dillon Brandt would got the ball for this important game and didn’t disappoint. After a leadoff home run, Dillon bounced back only allowing three earned runs through six and third innings, when sophomore Patrick Brady came in to close the door in the seventh. The Ranger’s offense was shut down with their only runs coming from a two-RBI double from junior Tristen Bird. Lovejoy tacked on a run, sealing the game in the seventh and a 4-2 hard-fought loss for the Rangers.
Nick Barber had this to say about the team this weekend.
“ I thought we came out and competed well versus some top competition. If we made one or two plays in the big games, we would have come out on top. But we’re still a young team and early in the season, so there’s a long way to go.”
3/4/23 10:00 AM: Sachse
The Rangers started off slow early Saturday morning. Walking several runners in a row, the Rangers got into an early hole. It didn’t help that Sachse threw five no-hit innings until Tristen Bird broke it up with a single through the infield. The Rangers only recorded three hits all game and it proved to be a bad loss as they lost 0-9.
3/4/23 5:30 PM Celina
The Rangers looking to bounce back from early in the day found themselves faced with a very talented Celina team. Senior Jack Barr was on the bump, making his first appearance in the 2023 season. The atmosphere was electric and Barr was even more juiced. The Rangers took an early three-run lead in the second inning when Dominic Migliore single scored a run. But Celina wouldn’t go away and fought back, taking the lead with a solo shot in the top of the fifth. Barr pitched five innings, striking out six and allowing four earned runs. He was relieved by senior Preston Payne, who pitched the remaining two innings striking out three batters. The Rangers couldn’t put anything late in a highly emotional game. Some students said it felt like a playoff game. The Rangers ended up losing 3-4.
Jack Barr ’23 had this to say about his performance:
“ I knew it was going to be a big game against a really good opponent, but was I was going to give it everything I had and compete my tail off.”
The Rangers are back at it again this weekend finishing up the last couple of games before district play, in the Frisco Tournament, at noon on Thursday at Frisco High School.
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