By ANDREW CRUM, Staff Writer
Fred Villarreal did a little bit of everything for Brownsville Veterans Memorial.
The Chargers’ starting pitcher posted a complete game shutout, striking out 13, and also drove in a pair of runs to lead Brownsville Veterans to a 5-0 victory over Los Fresnos in District 32-6A baseball action Friday.
“At first I was rough, I couldn’t locate the strike zone,” Villarreal said. “Then I found my groove, and after I find my groove, it’s hard to hit off me.”
Villarreal pitched seven innings, allowed no runs on just one hit, walked two and struck out a baker’s dozen in the win. The junior helped himself by going 3 for 4 at the plate against the Falcons (12-11, 5-8) and drove in two runs for the Chargers (18-1-2, 12-1).
“I’m seeing the ball really well,” he said. “I was more patient with the offspeed (pitches). I waited, stayed back and I drove the ball.”
Brandyn De Leon led off the game with a single to right field for Los Fresnos, and that was the only hit allowed by Villarreal as he kept the Falcons’ hitters off balance.
“Fred just hit his spots,” Brownsville Veterans coach Joey Benavides said. “That’s what he’s been working hard at, keeping the guys guessing. That’s part of the game of pitching, and he did a good job of it.”
Brownsville Veterans wasted no time to get on the scoreboard. After Javier Pena opened the bottom of the first inning by reaching on an error, Villarreal singled. Two batters later, Jorge Montelongo brought home a run with a single to left field to give Brownsville Veterans an early 1-0 lead.
Noe Solis doubled to start the fourth inning and scored when Santiago Moody reached on an error to give the Chargers a 2-0 lead.
Falcons starter Miguel Gonzalez pitched four innings, allowed two runs on five hits, walked none and struck out three.
During the fifth, Pena led off with a double and scored on a sacrifice fly by Villarreal to put the Chargers up 3-0.
During the sixth, the Chargers added two more runs. Villarreal brought home one with a single and another run scored on a Los Fresnos miscue in the outfield to give Brownsville Veterans a 5-0 lead.
“They’re a good team, but we didn’t make enough plays to win the game, that’s what it boils down to,” Los Fresnos coach Rene Morales said. “(Villarreal) threw well, he did a good job of moving the ball in and out (of the strike zone). We hit a couple balls, but they didn’t find the ground.
“He kept us off balance (Friday night).”
Keegan Danielson and Sammy Garcia each pitched an inning of relief for Los Fresnos.
Benavides said Villarreal has become a better player during the course of the season.
“Fred’s definitely a ballplayer, he does a great job,” Benavides said. “We’re trying to eliminate his walks, that’s haunted him in the past, and thank God it didn’t haunt him (Friday night). As he gets throughout the season, just like (Luis) Acosta, he keeps getting stronger. They’re hard workers, and they do a good job.”
Andrew Crum covers sports for The Brownsville Herald. You can reach him at (956) 982-6629 or via email at [email protected]. On Twitter he’s @andrewmcrum.