By ROY HESS, Staff Writer
MISSION — Kingsville Brahmas pitcher Tyler Kieschnick introduced himself in a rather rude way to the Port Isabel Tarpons during the first game of the two teams’ Class 4A best-of-three, bi-district playoff series Friday at Sharyland High.
The sophomore right-hander threw a no-hitter with 14 strikeouts to lead the District 31-4A fourth-place Brahmas to a 4-1 victory over the District 32-4A co-champion Tarpons.
Game 2 of the series is scheduled for 1 p.m. Saturday at Sharyland High with the third game to follow, if necessary, 30 minutes afterward.
The winner of the series advances to next week’s area round of the 4A playoffs to face Jourdanton or Devine.
The Brahmas improved to 15-9 while the Tarpons fell to 17-5-1.
The Tarpons trailed 2-0 after two innings and 3-1 after three. The Brahmas added their final run in the top of the fifth.
“You’ve got to step up in the playoffs and that guy did,” Tarpons coach Robert Holland said of Kieschnick, who is the cousin of former Corpus Christi Carroll, UT-Austin and Chicago Cubs pitcher Brooks Kieschnick.
“We didn’t hit the ball, but that was due to their pitcher,” Holland added. “He did a good job. Our pitcher (Joaquin Patino) did a good job, too. We just had a couple of passed balls and errors (that hurt us). With two strikes, those guys stuck the ball (and that hurt us as well).
“We’ll be back tomorrow. That’s why you play three.”
Kieschnick, who went the distance to stay unbeaten on the season, wasn’t perfect, however. He issued seven walks and hit three batters with pitches.
But it was enough to get the job done for the Brahmas, who outhit the Tarpons 7-0. Each team committed three errors.
“My teammates put up some runs on the scoreboard and that helped me throw strikes,” Kieschnick said. “I trust them, and we were able to take the ballgame. This was my best game ever.”
Added first-year Brahmas coach Jeremy Wheeler, “Our guy threw a no-hitter, and that’s pretty hard to do in the playoffs. Great pitching was the difference for us. Tyler threw strikes, we had some timely hits and we got Game 1. It doesn’t really mean a whole lot yet, so let’s see what we can do in Game 2.”
Patino also went the distance in taking the loss and finished with seven strikeouts, one walk and one hit batsman.
Kieschnick logged his 14th strikeout with bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the seventh. He opened the game by striking out the side in the bottom of the first.
“We’re coming with our better pitcher (Jose Martinez), a sophomore, so let’s see what happens tomorrow,” Holland said.