Hart’s complete game lifts Mules

For the first time in five years, Alamo Heights has reached the regional quarterfinals.

Behind a complete game from Edward Hart, the Mules punched their ticket with a 9-1 win over Eagle Pass Winn on Friday at San Antonio ISD’s Diz Reeves Diamond.

“I thought our kids played extremely well,” Alamo Heights coach Jason Thompson said. “I thought our offense did a nice job of battling through some at-bats.”

In 2016 the Mules, led by future Astros prospect Forrest Whitley, advanced to the state championship game. The 2021 Mules have similar goals.

“We are a young team,” Hart said. “It means a lot to be back in the regional quarterfinals. It’s awesome to be part of it.”

Eagle Pass Winn’s Jacob Salinas was strong through the first four innings before the Mules jumped on him in the fifth, sending 11 batters to the plate and scoring six runs to take a 7-1 lead.

“We knew (Salinas) had two pitches and eventually we would get on to them,” Hart said. “One hit leads to another and eventually sparks a rally.”

Alamo Heights added its eighth run in the sixth inning after John York reached on an error and scored on a single by Bennett Angulo. The Mules’ final run came in the seventh when Jackson Duffin hit a one-out single, then scored on a double by James Sobey.

Winn was the first team to get a hit when Rey Esquivel led off the bottom of the second with a single. He moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Salinas but was erased on a double play when Robert De La Garza lined out to Bo DeWees, who threw to Angulo for the out at second.

Corbin Gunter got Alamo Heights’ first hit of the night on a two-out single in the top of the third. Bruno Robles followed with a single to center field. But the threat was short lived, as DeWees flew out to right for the third out.

Alamo Heights broke the scoreless tie in the top of the fourth inning when York led off with a single, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Angulo, and scored on a one-out single by Hart.

Winn tied it up in the bottom of the fourth when Izek Garza reached after being hit by a pitch, moved to second on a single by J.P. Ramos, and scored on a two-out single to left. But the Mavericks couldn’t get anything going after that.

Alamo Heights will face district foe Dripping Springs in the regional quarterfinals next week. The Tigers won both meetings this season by a combined two runs.

“We know they are a great team,” Thompson said. “We know it will be a battle, but our kids will be ready to go.”

Staff file photo Alamo Heights advanced to the regional quarterfinals for the first time in five years with Friday’s victory. “I thought our kids played extremely well,” Mules coach Jason Thompson said.