Thunderbirds brandish their bats
James Mello
The Mesa Thunderbirds baseball team scored early and often against conference foe, the Glendale Gauchos, defeating them 10-2 in a game that was never close.The T-Birds are battling to remain in playoff position and are currently second in the Arizona Community College Athletic Conference (ACCAC).
The T-Birds will need to remain in the top four in the conference to make the postseason. The win brings Mesa’s record to 14-11 in ACCAC conference play and 30-13 on the season.
“We just got to make the playoffs and we have a chance,” said Tony Cirelli, the T-Birds head coach. “We have pitching and pitching always beats good hitting. We have speed and speed never takes a day off. “
Lead off hitter Bryan Dunleavy started the game off with a walk. Consecutive bunts by Clay Hathaway and Darian Johnson loaded the bases for Michael Wesolowski.
“Weso” came through with a 2-RBI single to get the T-Birds on the board early.
Another T-Bird bunt, this time by Gary Mayberry, loaded the bases for Brig Jensen. Jensen scored Johnson on a ground out, and a wild pitch later brought in Mayberry. The T-Birds managed to scratch four runs across in the first inning while only hitting one ball out of the infield.
While attempting to bunt, the ball bounced off of Wesolowski’s bat and hit him hard in the mouth and nose. Wesolowski dusted himself off and went to the plate again. He then ran out an infield single and later scored on an RBI triple by Mayberry which made the score 5-0 T-Birds.
“We’re in a good position right now, we’ve been playing good. I feel if we keep rolling how we are now, no one can beat us,” Mayberry said.
Barely able to talk after the game because of a swollen and bloodied lip, Wesolowski said, “I was raised to get up, and that’s what I did.”
In the fifth Clay Hathaway was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning and an error on a ground ball hit by Darian Johnson set up first and third for Wesolowski. Wesolowski hit a sacrifice fly bringing in Hathaway making the score 6-0. An RBI single by Brig Jensen later in the inning made the score 7-1 and the T-Birds never looked back.
Mesa scored three more runs in the game as many reserve players were able to get some playing time. Mesa finished with 12 hits.
T-Birds starting pitcher Justin Walker threw five innings and gave up two hits, allowed zero runs, and struck out two on the day.
