By STEFAN MODRICH | Staff Writer
LOS FRESNOS — The only thing that could stop Isaac Franco on Friday night was the clock.
The senior Los Fresnos Falcons starter tossed four shutout innings, allowing only one hit during a 9-0 win over the Roma Gladiators in the time-limited semifinal round of the Los Fresnos-Port Isabel Tournament.
“He was around the plate, he had his fastball working, Los Fresnos coach Rene Morales said. “He did a good job for us tonight. Hats off to him, he gave up that one hit, threw the ball right down the middle, and that guy got a good hit on it.”
Roma catcher Raul Resendez was the only Gladiators player to get a hit off of Franco. Six of the 12 outs Franco recorded were strikeouts.
“I felt like I had to give these guys a chance to score runs and stay up,” Franco said. “I was focusing on keeping my teammates up and just dominating out there.”
Los Fresnos pounded out eight hits in the abbreviated game, with contributions up and down the lineup.
The Falcons jumped ahead 2-0 during the first inning, after Roma junior starting pitcher Gerardo Cortez surrendered a walk to sophomore first baseman Victor Loa following a lengthy at-bat and senior second baseman Sebastian Ledesma drove in a pair of runs with a single.
“That’s what we’ve been preaching the last couple games,” Morales said. “We’ve had a couple, but not as many as we wanted to. It’s just one of those things, we’re a work in (progress). Tonight we had some kids have quality at-bats and put the ball in play.”
The Falcons broke the game open with a five-run frame in the third. Los Fresnos senior designated hitter Ian Danielson doubled into the left center gap to lead off the inning, and Loa doubled down the right field line to score Danielson and make it 3-0. Senior left fielder Lee Trevino was hit by a pitch, sophomore center fielder Germain Castillo reached on a pop-up that fell behind the mound and the Falcons tacked on another run on a wild pitch.
Senior right fielder Johnny Cadengo’s two-out single — a Texas-Leaguer up the middle — drove in two more Los Fresnos runs and chased Cortez after 2 2/3 innings of work. Left-hander Chris Gonzalez came on in relief to strike out sophomore catcher Jacob Sandoval and finish the inning for the Gladiators.