Errors prove costly for Snyder in extra inning loss

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  • Snyder catcher Bryce Ford tagged out Graham’s Daniel Gilbertson at the plate during the second inning of Thursday’s game. Gilbertson was allowed to score from third base due to interference on the play. The Steers defeated Snyder 7-4 at Moffett Field to take a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three Class 4A bi-district playoff series. Game 2 is scheduled for noon Saturday in Graham.
    Snyder catcher Bryce Ford tagged out Graham’s Daniel Gilbertson at the plate during the second inning of Thursday’s game. Gilbertson was allowed to score from third base due to interference on the play. The Steers defeated Snyder 7-4 at Moffett Field to take a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three Class 4A bi-district playoff series. Game 2 is scheduled for noon Saturday in Graham.
  • Snyder third baseman Leeroy Tavarez charges toward the ball on a bunt attempt during Thursday’s game.
    Snyder third baseman Leeroy Tavarez charges toward the ball on a bunt attempt during Thursday’s game.
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Graham was able to take advantage of the mistakes.
The Steers scored three runs in the top of the eighth inning on one hit and two Snyder errors to win Game 1 of the best-of-three Class 4A bi-district baseball playoff series at Moffett Field Thursday night. 
The Tigers (10-16) and Graham (18-12-2) will resume the series at noon Saturday in Graham. If Snyder wins, Game 3 will follow.
“They were able to take advantage of our mistakes,” Snyder head coach Shane Stewart said. “We are going to have to come back on Saturday and play better. We know we will be facing their No. 1 guy (lefthander Owen Loesch).”
Snyder battled back from an early deficit to force extra innings, but the Steers capitalized on a throwing error to score two runs. 
With the bases loaded, Daniel Gilbertson grounded the ball to second baseman Cameron Smith, who threw out Corey Ballew at the plate. Catcher Bryce Ford tried to complete the double play, but his throw sailed into right field allowing James Witherspoon and Luke Stone to score.
Leading 6-4, Graham pulled off a double steal with Witherspoon scoring from third to increase the lead to 7-4. Grant Bullock, who picked up the win in relief, retired Snyder in order in the bottom of the eighth to earn the win.
“I thought when Jake (Chavez) recorded the one-pitch out in the seventh, we would make it happen,” Stewart said. “We just could not get that clutch hit tonight. That has been a problem all year.”
Chavez replaced Derek Dominguez on the mound after the freshman reached his pitch limit.
“Derek pitched a good game. He got into the seventh inning and that is what we wanted him to do,” Stewart said.
Graham scored two runs in the first inning to take the lead. Seth Shook led off the game with a walk and Loesch singled to put runners on the corner. 
Ballew hit an RBI single to score Shook and rightfielder Drevian Hernandez misplayed the ball which allowed Loesch to score the second run. 
The Steers had a chance to increase the lead, but Witherspoon failed to execute a suicide squeeze and Ballew was tagged out by Ford at home. Witherspoon then struck out to end the inning.
In the second inning, Gilbertson walked and stole second and third base. Ford’s throw to third on the steal was misplayed by Leeroy Tavarez, but Trey DeLoera threw him out at the plate. However, the home plate umpire ruled Tavarez interfered with Gilbertson by landing on him when he was getting up and was awarded home.
The Tigers cut the deficit to 3-1 in the bottom of the second when Ford scored on Brence Jasso’s RBI double. In the bottom of the third, Tavarez hit a sacrifice fly to score Ryan Rodriguez to cut Graham’s lead to 3-2.
Gilbertson scored on Landon Hebert’s RBI triple in the fourth inning, but Snyder responded when Cameron Smith stole third and scored when a bad throw by Shook went into the outfield.
Snyder tied the game with two outs in the sixth inning when Chavez scored after Hernandez singled and got caught in a rundown between first and second. 
Snyder hitters: Jake Chavez 2 singles, 1 stolen base; Brence Jasso 1 double, 1 RBI; Leeroy Tavarez 1 single, 1 RBI; Ryan Rodriguez 1 double; Cameron Smith 1 single, 2 stolen base; Drevian Hernandez 1 single.
Snyder pitchers: Derek Dominguez 6.2 innings, 4 runs, 2 earned runs, 5 hits, 9 strikeouts, 4 walks; Jake Chavez 1.1 innings, 3 runs, 0 earned runs, 1 hit, 1 strikeout, 1 walk.