Posted: Jun 24, 2019
Bulls Prep Defeats Speer Academy for Third-Straight Noble League Baseball
By Emily Iannaconi
Chicago Bulls College Prep defeated Speer Academy, 7-3, at Triton College on Symonds-Puckett Field on Saturday June 1st, securing the third-straight Noble League baseball championship for the Bulls.
The Pride posted an 11-8 mark during the regular season, with a 7-1 record in conference play. The game marked their first appearance in the Noble League baseball championship.
Head coach Roberto Rosado has now won five Noble League Championships in 10 years. "It's been a journey," Rosado said. "This year, more importantly, it was a team effort. Everyone contributed. Everyone put in their hard effort and the results showed and it paid off."
The Bulls threatened in the first inning when Jorge Garcia launched a single to center field with two outs. Then, an error allowed Max Rundberg to reach and Garcia to advance to third, putting runners on the corners. Speer Academy's starting pitcher, Alexis Cotto, picked up a strikeout to end the inning, leaving runners stranded.
Erik Huizar led off the bottom of the first inning for Speer Academy with a single to left field. Huizar advanced to second on an error. D'Andre Ruiz drew a walk, putting runners on first and second with nobody out. Leonardo Cepeda-Palafox forced a line out that resulted in a double play Huizar then got caught trying to steal third, ending the inning.
Both teams remained scoreless throughout the second and third innings.
An error by the Pride third baseman allowed the Bulls' leadoff hitter to reach first base to start the fourth inning. With one out, Julian Quintero drew a walk to put a runner on first and second with one out. With two outs, Angel Palafox walked and initiated a rundown, allowing him to advance to second and Quintero to score the first run of the game for Bulls Prep. Carlos Diego Cartagena walked to put runners on first and second. Nathan Hernandez entered the game as a pinch hitter and hit a single through the left side, plating another run. Then, with runners on second and third, Cepeda-Palafox blasted a bases-clearing triple down the right field line to give the Bulls a 4-0 lead. Franco reached on an error by the center fielder, driving in another run for the Bulls. Garcia hit a single to centerfield, but a pop-up by Ivan Palma would end the top half of the fourth, with the Bulls taking a 5-0 lead.
The Pride and the Bulls were scoreless throughout the fifth.
Speer Academy's D'Andre Ruiz reached base on an error by the second baseman to put the leadoff runner on for the Pride in the sixth inning. A ground out by Hill allowed Ruiz to advance to third. Miguel Amill reached on an error by the Bulls third baseman, allowing Ruiz to score the first Pride run of the game. Berrios was hit by a pitch, putting runners on the corners with one out. After a pop out, Huizar blasted a single to center field, plating Amill and pulling the Pride within three.
A single and an error allowed two Bulls runners to reach base in the top half of the sixth with one out but a fly out and ground out ended the inning, keeping the score at 5-2.
The Bulls made a call to the bullpen and brought Ernesto Mascorro to the mound. With one out, Gonzalez blasted a triple to the left field wall. Gonzalez scored on a ground out to third, pulling the Pride within two heading into the seventh inning.
Quintero led off the seventh inning with a double to left field for the Bulls. Quintero advanced to third on a bunt by Palafox. Mascorro then laid down a sacrifice bunt, allowing Quintero to score. An error on the play put Mascorro on second with one out. Ivan Nunez hit a single to center field, plating Mascorro. Cepeda-Palafox grounded into a double play, ending the inning with the Bulls leading 7-3.
Rundberg entered the game in the bottom of the seventh. After recording the first two outs, Luis Bahamundi drew a walk. Rundberg got Huizar to strike out looking though, securing a 7-3 victory for the Bulls.
In all during the game, the Bulls outhit the Pride 11-3.
Franco said that this win means a lot to him and his teammates. "This is my third time here and my third time winning," Franco said. "Best feeling ever."
Mascorro echoed his teammates sentiments but said that he feels this win is particularly special because this is his last year at Chicago Bulls College Prep. "I'm glad that we won a third time," Mascorro said. "And it means a lot that I got to play with a team I love."
Chicago Bulls College Prep defeated Speer Academy, 7-3, at Triton College on Symonds-Puckett Field on Saturday June 1st, securing the third-straight Noble League baseball championship for the Bulls.
The Pride posted an 11-8 mark during the regular season, with a 7-1 record in conference play. The game marked their first appearance in the Noble League baseball championship.
Head coach Roberto Rosado has now won five Noble League Championships in 10 years. "It's been a journey," Rosado said. "This year, more importantly, it was a team effort. Everyone contributed. Everyone put in their hard effort and the results showed and it paid off."
The Bulls threatened in the first inning when Jorge Garcia launched a single to center field with two outs. Then, an error allowed Max Rundberg to reach and Garcia to advance to third, putting runners on the corners. Speer Academy's starting pitcher, Alexis Cotto, picked up a strikeout to end the inning, leaving runners stranded.
Erik Huizar led off the bottom of the first inning for Speer Academy with a single to left field. Huizar advanced to second on an error. D'Andre Ruiz drew a walk, putting runners on first and second with nobody out. Leonardo Cepeda-Palafox forced a line out that resulted in a double play Huizar then got caught trying to steal third, ending the inning.
Both teams remained scoreless throughout the second and third innings.
An error by the Pride third baseman allowed the Bulls' leadoff hitter to reach first base to start the fourth inning. With one out, Julian Quintero drew a walk to put a runner on first and second with one out. With two outs, Angel Palafox walked and initiated a rundown, allowing him to advance to second and Quintero to score the first run of the game for Bulls Prep. Carlos Diego Cartagena walked to put runners on first and second. Nathan Hernandez entered the game as a pinch hitter and hit a single through the left side, plating another run. Then, with runners on second and third, Cepeda-Palafox blasted a bases-clearing triple down the right field line to give the Bulls a 4-0 lead. Franco reached on an error by the center fielder, driving in another run for the Bulls. Garcia hit a single to centerfield, but a pop-up by Ivan Palma would end the top half of the fourth, with the Bulls taking a 5-0 lead.
The Pride and the Bulls were scoreless throughout the fifth.
Speer Academy's D'Andre Ruiz reached base on an error by the second baseman to put the leadoff runner on for the Pride in the sixth inning. A ground out by Hill allowed Ruiz to advance to third. Miguel Amill reached on an error by the Bulls third baseman, allowing Ruiz to score the first Pride run of the game. Berrios was hit by a pitch, putting runners on the corners with one out. After a pop out, Huizar blasted a single to center field, plating Amill and pulling the Pride within three.
A single and an error allowed two Bulls runners to reach base in the top half of the sixth with one out but a fly out and ground out ended the inning, keeping the score at 5-2.
The Bulls made a call to the bullpen and brought Ernesto Mascorro to the mound. With one out, Gonzalez blasted a triple to the left field wall. Gonzalez scored on a ground out to third, pulling the Pride within two heading into the seventh inning.
Quintero led off the seventh inning with a double to left field for the Bulls. Quintero advanced to third on a bunt by Palafox. Mascorro then laid down a sacrifice bunt, allowing Quintero to score. An error on the play put Mascorro on second with one out. Ivan Nunez hit a single to center field, plating Mascorro. Cepeda-Palafox grounded into a double play, ending the inning with the Bulls leading 7-3.
Rundberg entered the game in the bottom of the seventh. After recording the first two outs, Luis Bahamundi drew a walk. Rundberg got Huizar to strike out looking though, securing a 7-3 victory for the Bulls.
In all during the game, the Bulls outhit the Pride 11-3.
Franco said that this win means a lot to him and his teammates. "This is my third time here and my third time winning," Franco said. "Best feeling ever."
Mascorro echoed his teammates sentiments but said that he feels this win is particularly special because this is his last year at Chicago Bulls College Prep. "I'm glad that we won a third time," Mascorro said. "And it means a lot that I got to play with a team I love."
