It was a night of firsts for Victoria Westòòò½ÊÓƵ™s DJ Martinez at Riverside Stadium on Friday.
During a 10-run third inning, Martinez launched his first high school home run over the left field wall. At the conclusion of Westòòò½ÊÓƵ™s (12-6-2, 7-1) 18-0, five-inning victory over Rosenberg Terry (8-10-2, 3-5), Martinez celebrated a no-hitter.
òòò½ÊÓƵœThe coach really allowed me to just do my thing as usual,òòò½ÊÓƵ Martinez said. òòò½ÊÓƵœHe didnòòò½ÊÓƵ™t really think about pulling me or anything. They wanted me as a senior to finish the game and take some leadership on the mound because, at the end of the day, we still have a job to do.òòò½ÊÓƵ
The only real question was whether Martinez would finish the game. Westòòò½ÊÓƵ™s 10-run third inning saw the Warriors open an 18-0 lead. Thatòòò½ÊÓƵ™s a spot where it would be natural to pull your starting pitcher and give other players some work. But head coach Jay Perez and his staff allowed Martinez to chase the milestone even as they rotated some of the position players.
òòò½ÊÓƵœWe just played the other guys that we have to fill in,òòò½ÊÓƵ Perez said. òòò½ÊÓƵœI wanted to make sure he {Martinez] was comfortable with that, with getting some guys some playing time. He has full trust in those guys behind him.òòò½ÊÓƵ
While it got out of hand, that was not the expectation heading into Fridayòòò½ÊÓƵ™s game against the Rangers. On Tuesday in Rosenberg, West encountered a tough game, trailing 1-0 after five innings before coming alive for five runs in the final two innings for a 5-1 victory.
òòò½ÊÓƵœWe always expect everybodyòòò½ÊÓƵ™s best and we expected this to be a really good ball game against a good baseball team,òòò½ÊÓƵ Perez said. òòò½ÊÓƵœWeòòò½ÊÓƵ™re oddly familiar with tough first innings and having to deal with adversity, so this is nothing new.òòò½ÊÓƵ
The only time Friday nightòòò½ÊÓƵ™s game looked like it could be close was in the top of the first inning when two Warrior errors and a passed ball allowed Terry runners to reach second and third base with two outs. Once West escaped that inning scoreless, they were off to the races.
òòò½ÊÓƵœHe did a great job executing on the mound, doing his job, even after starting off slow,òòò½ÊÓƵ Perez said of Martinezòòò½ÊÓƵ™s pitching performance. òòò½ÊÓƵœHe stayed in it mentally and just kept executing and doing what heòòò½ÊÓƵ™s supposed to do.òòò½ÊÓƵ
West scored five runs in the first inning thanks to two-run singles from Cade Sebby and Ethan Guerra, along with a RBI groundout from Payton Brannan. Martinez, Jay Guerrero and Hayden Michalk each drove in a single run in the second inning to make it 8-0.
Martinezòòò½ÊÓƵ™s home run punctuated the 10-run third inning, but it was far from the only big blow. Brannan brought in a run with a RBI triple and Guerrero brought Brannan i on a RBI double.
The back-to-back extra base hits set up Martinezòòò½ÊÓƵ™s only high school home run. After the home run, the focus in the dugout turned to finishing off the no-hitter, completing his a special night.
òòò½ÊÓƵœItòòò½ÊÓƵ™s just like a dream,òòò½ÊÓƵ Martinez said of Fridayòòò½ÊÓƵ™s game. òòò½ÊÓƵœNot a lot of people say they hit a bomb in a high school game or that they got to throw a no-no in a high school game. It means a lot and for everyone to be a part of that, putting up the 18 runs and giving me a chance to throw one. It felt pretty good.òòò½ÊÓƵ
District 22-5A
Victoria West 18, Rosenberg Terry 0
Terry 000 00 òòò½ÊÓƵ” 0 0 5
West 53(10) 0x òòò½ÊÓƵ” 18 11 3
W: DJ Martinez. L: Stephen Ramirez. Highlights: (W) DJ Martinez 5 IPs, 7 Ks, 0 Hs, 0 Rs, 1-for-3, HR, 3 RBIs, BB; Payton Brannan 1-for-3, 3B, 2 RBIs, BB; Jay Guerrero 1-for-2, 2B, 2 RBIs; Cade Sebby 3-for-4, 2 RBIs; Aiden DeLeon 1-for-1, 3 BBs, 4 Rs. Records: Terry 8-10-2, 3-5; West 12-6-2, 7-1
