Princeton junior Garrett Turner allowed one earned run with five strikeouts over six innings in a 4-2 loss to Plano East on March 11. Photo by Andy Redmond / C&S Media
By David Wolman
GARLAND – Having faced Plano East pitcher Landon Leedy only eight days earlier, the Princeton baseball team had a specific plan on how to attack Leedy the second time the two District 6-6A rivals played.
Head coach Leroy Mansanales wanted his team to be patient and disciplined at the plate and force Leedy to throw as many pitches as possible.
For the most part, Princeton executed the game plan with high efficiency. The Panthers forced Leedy to throw 48 pitches in the first two innings of the March 11 game and 107 overall in his five innings of work. However, timely hits eluded Princeton in a 4-2 loss.
“They did a good job at the plate all night long, put ourselves in a position to stay in the game,” Mansanales said. “We had guys on almost all seven innings. I was really satisfied with my guys at the plate.”
Princeton attempted to execute the same strategy against Plano East reliever Colt Wisniowski later in the game. Wisniowski entered the contest in the sixth inning and tossed 37 pitches over his two innings of work.
Trailing 4-2 in the seventh inning, the Panthers had runners on first and second base with one out after a Kayden Cochrane single and an Elijah Vega walk.
Princeton appeared to catch a crucial break moments later. Jaxon Watjen hit a one-hopper off the glove of Wisniowski. However, Plano East second baseman Matthew Hyman tracked down the ball, tagged out a runner heading to second base for the second out and then saw a Princeton runner attempting to score. He threw to catcher Tyler LuBow, who tagged out the runner to complete a game-ending double play.
Princeton struck first after a throwing error by Plano East in the top of the first inning. With the bases loaded and no outs, Skylar Barnes placed down a bunt. Plano East got the lead runner out at home plate, but the subsequent throw sailed wide of the first-base bag. Jordan Mosley, who reached on a single, touched home plate to give Princeton a 1-0 lead.
Early in the game, both teams struggled at times to track the ball in the stadium lights. One such occurrence happened in the home half of the first. A pop fly hit to center field was lost in the lights and went for an RBI double for Ricky Clemens, tying the contest, 1-1.
Another defensive mistake proved costly for Princeton in the third inning. Princeton appeared it was going to get out of the inning without allowing a run after Plano East threatened. However, a routine fly ball that was hit to left field was dropped. Plano East’s next batter, Clemens, sliced a two-run single into right field for a 3-1 lead.
Princeton nearly made it a one-run game in the fourth inning. Mosley hit a hard liner up the third-base line. However, Plano East third baseman Rylan Speight made a diving stop to take away a potential run for Princeton. Speight reached to his left to field the ball, then threw while on one knee to first base for the out.
Speight delivered in a big moment for Plano East’s offense in the ensuing half-inning, hitting the ball through a hole on the left side of the infield for an RBI single and a 4-1 lead.
Giving up that hit was a rare mistake for Princeton pitcher Garrett Turner. Turner gave the Panthers every chance to win the contest. He allowed one earned run over six innings with five strikeouts.
“He did everything that we could ask of him and more,” Mansanales said.
Princeton got as close as 4-2 after a Plano East throwing error but couldn’t get any closer.