The Taylor Ducks varsity baseball team opened the season with a 6-4 victory over the Austin Waves on Monday, Feb. 6. Junior outfielder Mason Sunvision led the Ducks at the plate, going 2 for 3 with an RBI.
Sophomore utility player Tayden Talley got the start on the mound and struggled in the first inning, allowing two runs on RBI singles as the Waves took a 2-0 lead. Talley pitched 2.1 innings, giving up two runs while striking out three. He also walked four batters, leading to an early exit.
The Ducks cut into the deficit in the bottom of the first, loading the bases on a walk and two singles. Taylor pushed across one run on a groundout, but the Waves retired the side on a popout and a strikeout to limit the damage.
Both teams were scoreless in the second before the Ducks took a 3-2 lead. Sunvision scored on an error, and senior second baseman Angel Rodriguez added a run on a sacrifice fly. The Waves tied the game in the fourth on a passed ball during a strikeout.
Taylor quickly regained control as Sunvision delivered an RBI single, and a sacrifice fly extended the lead to 5-3.
Freshman Julian Gomez relieved Talley and kept the Waves’ offense in check, pitching three innings and allowing one run while striking out eight. Gomez earned the win.
The Ducks added insurance in the bottom of the fifth on Gomez’s RBI single to make it 6-3. Mario Newman closed out the game, allowing one run over 1.2 innings with three strikeouts.
Brayden Ochoa had a team high two RBIs.
Taylor will return to action this weekend in the Rosebud-Lott Tournament.
