Princeton batter Brayden Hyatt looks ahead after he contacts the ball during a recent home game against Farmersville. Photo by Oladipo Awowale / C&S Media
By David Wolman
After being limited to one run and five hits in a 4-1 loss to Plano East to begin District 6-6A play, the offense for the Princeton baseball team came alive in a big way later in the week at a tournament at Richardson Berkner.
It took a while for the Panthers’ offense to get into a rhythm in their first game. However, Princeton woke up just in time. Plating six runs in the top of the sixth inning, the Panthers rallied from a 3-0 deficit to stun Berkner 6-3 on Thursday, March 5, at Berkner.
Mistakes by the Rams set the stage for a big inning for Princeton. A walk, catcher’s interference and another walk loaded the bases with one out. A defensive error by Berkner allowed the first Princeton run to cross home plate. Marlon Alvarado made it 3-2 with a bases-loaded walk.
Felix Martinez then put the Panthers ahead 4-3 with an RBI single. The second run on that play scored on a throwing error. Alvarado scored the fifth run of the inning on a passed ball. Martinez made it 6-3 Princeton after he scored on another Rams error.
Later in the day, Jaxson Watjen scored on a wild pitch in the bottom of the sixth inning as Princeton earned a walk-off 6-5 victory against North Garland. The Panthers held leads of 2-0 and 5-2 before the Raiders rallied with three runs over the game’s final three innings to tie the score at 5-5.
Elijah Vega carried Princeton’s offense, going 2-for-3 with three RBIs, including a double. Skylar Barnes and Peyton Wilczynski each collected two hits.
Princeton made it three straight wins Friday.
The Panthers exploded for seven runs in the bottom of the first, and that outburst was more than enough for Princeton, which went on to defeat Community 7-1.
Princeton batted around and sent 13 batters to the plate. Barnes drove in the first run with an RBI single to left field. Two more runs scored on an error a few minutes later for a 3-0 lead. A fielder’s choice by Watjen drove in the fourth Panthers run. Jacob Hovind delivered the biggest blow, a two-run single for a 6-0 advantage. Three batters later, Martinez drew a bases-loaded walk to increase Princeton’s lead to 7-0.
Watjen also held Community’s offense in check, limiting the Braves to one run and two hits over five innings. He struck out five.