Winning Slide

 Winning Slide
       
The Boerne Greyhound baseball team faced number one ranked Corpus Christi Calallen in a best of three series for the Regional Championship. The winner would advance to the state tournament in Round Rock.     
          Wolf Stadium in San Antonio was the scene of the opening game as both teams provided the fans with an 11-inning thriller. After three scoreless innings Boerne scored one run in the fourth inning to break the deadlock.
          The Wildcats answered with a score in the fifth inning, tying the game which stayed deadlocked at 1-1 until the 11th inning. What happened next is the stuff that memories are made.
          Russell Moldenhauer and Bradley Suttle each hit singles. Chris Southerland laid down a bunt to reach first, but Moldenhauer was forced out at third. Suttle then stole third base and Taylor Spalla drew a walk. After a strikeout by a Hound batter,
 Suttle stood on third with two outs in the bottom of the eleventh inning.
   “I was thinking the pitcher has a real slow windup and I didn’t want to go another inning.” Looking over at Coach Chuck Foster Suttle said, “I’ve got to do this.” Foster told him to go for it.
In the middle of the pitchers windup Conrad Srp squared off to bunt, Suttle, the master of the understatement, broke for home. He beat the tag by the catcher who, in attempt to make the out had dropped the pitched ball. A celebration ensued as the Hounds won the critical opening game 2-1.
I was standing in the dugout with my camera focused on home plate when Suttle made his move. The picture shows Suttle sliding around the catcher who is desperately searching for the ball. Boerne went on to win the best of three series and advanced to the state tournament at Del Diamond in Round Rock. They beat Port-Neches Groves in the semi-final and Denton-Ryan for the 2004 state championship.

Suttle signed with the University of Texas where he excelled as an infielder and batted .359 in 2007 with the Longhorns. The New York Yankees took him in the fourth round of the 2007 Major League draft.       

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