By Travis Chapman
Punxsutawney Phil hit it right on the head with his estimation of how soon spring would arrive and boy did it arrive just in time for a beautiful day of “America’s Pastime”. Your Glenbrook Elementary and Jr High Apaches capped off great seasons in baseball. The lower and upper elementary teams made war all the way over in Monroe, LA last Saturday, while the Jr High Apaches took the diamond in their finale at the LSUS Pilots beautiful facility.
It was a beautiful day for baseball as the 5/6 Apaches baseball team kicked things off against the formidable Riverfield Raiders who made the trek over from the metropolitan area of Rayville, LA. While the Apaches put on a great show, they fell just short of victory against the Raiders who went on to win the whole tournament later that evening. We look forward to another great season next year for this group of Apaches as they welcome a new group of ballers into their ranks.
Next, we can look at the Jr High Apaches as they looked to bring home the Championship and cap off an undefeated regular season. They played 4 games for the tournament. In game one, the Apaches blanked the Lakeside Warriors by a score of 10-0. The seven run third inning showed Brayden Watkins blasting and inside the park round trip with 2-RBI, Tanner Cox with an RBI ground out, in which an error scored another run. Ryder Malone stroked a triple scoring a run and Big D and I don’t mean Dallas-Darron Hollingsworth smoked a double that scored one as well. Carson Powell channeled his inner Ricky Henderson and stole two bags right from under the Warrior’s noses. In game two, the Apaches put it on the Ruston Bearkats by a score of 8-3. With Colton Jellum drawing a walk, the good eyes propelled the Apaches to a five run fourth inning. An error made by the Bearkats scored two runs and the Apache speedster and 2-guard, Carson Powell doubled scoring two, and Kleaton Davis who saw playing time for the Varsity Apaches earlier in the week also had a single and RBI. In game three, it was Brayden Watkins that led the Apache war party ahead of Lakeside, 11-2. Brayden went 3-3 at the plate and finished a round tripper shy of the ever so coveted cycle. Brayden had a triple in the fourth, double in the second and single in the third inning. The Apaches really stretched the game out of hand in the third inning when The Big Red Machine, Colton Jellum blasted a triple that scored one, Brayden’s single scored one, Carson Powell tripled with 2-RBI, and the Beast himself, Carson Whitehead drew a walk and later scored. Brayden Watkins continued his dominance along with Carson Whitehead, who each knabbed multiple stolen bases, but the team had 10 stolen bases total in the game. This big win propelled the Apaches to the semifinals to face Evangel. Evangel had a big third inning to lead them ahead of the Apaches by a score of 11-5. Evangel scored 3-runs in the first, but the Apaches answered tying the game up from a triple by Brayden Watkins, a single by Carson Powell, and a single by Kleaton Davis. But a double by the Big Red Machine gave the Apaches the lead in the second from a steaming double. But the Evangel big third inning pushed them passed the Apaches to head to the finals. The season didn’t end the way the Jr High wanted, but they had an incredible season going undefeated in the regular season against some very stiff competition. This group of young men are a tight group and will be battling for state championships for the next 5-years. This group of young men displayed great character and showed what it means to be a Glenbrook Apache.
Finally, we will recap the stellar tournament for the 3/4 Elementary Apaches. This group of young men had an undefeated regular season in football with great run in the playoffs. Coming up just short in football only lit their fire for the baseball season. These boys put on a clinic in Ruston. Their grit and determination showed as they fought and clawed in every single game to bring home the title back to the halls of Glenbrook. In the first game, your Apaches took on the OCS Green team and arose victorious with a come from behind score of 4-3. OCS opened the game with a pair of singles, followed by a clutch single that brought home the two base runners in the top of the first. Hagan Hay got the nod throwing from an elevated position and had some struggles early as the righty gave up three hits and three runs. Hagan also struck out four and walked three in two and a third innings. Marshall Duck came in relief and put on a clinic form the bump. Marshall surrendered ZERO hits, caught three batters guessing and only walked two. Ryder Hollingsworth, Hammering Hank Rowton and Marshall Duck all drove in runs for the Apaches. But when the game was tied 3-3 in the bottom of the third Marshall Duck continued his outstanding game scoring the go-ahead run from a seeing eye single that propelled the Apaches forward for the win. Game 2 provided more fireworks with the Apaches winning in walk-off fashion against FCCS by a score of 6-5. FCCS jumped out to an early 4-0 lead over the Apaches, but they weren’t ready to go home as they scored two runs in the first, but FCCS gained another run in the second to extend the lead 5-2. The towering righty, Ryder Hollingsworth came in relief to the hill and his “Filthy McNasty Sandwich” served a shut out of FCCS in an absolute dominant fashion, throwing the “no-no” with SIX strikeouts. The strong eyes at the plate of the Apaches proved true as Hammering Hank and the hine catcher, Big G-Grayson Avery lead the Apaches with multiple RBI’s and the team totaled six walks. But with the game on the line in the bottom of the 5th, Big G striped a double, Oh Captain, my Captain Powell drew a walk with the game tied at 5. With the bases juiced, Hammering Hank drew a walk that brought in a run for the walk-off win to advance to the finals!
In the finals your Apaches prevailed 9-0 over the extremely talented OCS green and white team that edged this Apaches team during the football season in the playoffs. These Apache boys wanted the rematch and showed out to blank their cross-state rivals to win the Championship! The Apaches Ace, Ryder Hollingsworth took the bump and threw another gem only giving up one hit, made seven, yes seven Eagle batters drag their bats back to the dugout to sit down in three short innings of work. Big G lead the Apaches at the plate going 2-3, but the big second inning really put the game out of hand as the Apaches scored seven runs with Warren Johnson, and Hank drawing a walk that each scored runs. Hagan Hay drove two runs across the plate from a fielder’s choice. Ryder doubled, driving in a run, Big Captain Powell doubled as well that had a runner boot-scoot and boogying across the plate. Big G also had an RBI as well. Hammering Hank came in relief after the great game Hollingsworth started and continued the pitching dominance with only surrendering one hit and zero runs accompanied with ZERO errors in the field to propel your Apaches to glory, sealing the Championship for Glenbrook.
We look forward to watching this tight-knit group dominate in football, baseball, and basketball for years to come. This is another special group of young men who rely on each other and push one another throughout the year to grow and WORK to get better. What a great season for the Apaches baseball teams as they proved they will be a perennial force to be reckoned with for years to come.
IT’S A GREAT DAY TO BE AN APACHE!!
