CUBS WIN TOURNAMENT BEHIND MENDOZA’S BIG DAY

The tournament finals of the Santa Fe/Galveston Ball Tournament was more living proof as to why games aren't played on paper. The Grand Oaks Grizzlies won the Galveston Ball bracket with a perfect 4-0 record , while the Brenham Cubs won the Santa Fe bracket with a 3-1 record, and one of those wins was a forfeit. However, when the dust settled, it was the Brenham Cubs walking away with the championship surfboard after pounding the Grizzlies 21-2.

Brenham jumped on Grand Oaks with six runs in the second inning. Luke Hardy led off the inning with a walk. Three batters later, the hit parade began. Grady Gee hit a double to put two runners on. Owen Finke drove Hardy and Gee home with a two-run double. Landry Mendoza followed with the Cubs' third straight double to plate Finke. Barrett Kohring walked, and then Tanner Reese hit an RBI single to score Mendoza. Drake Bentke also got into the act with an RBI single to score Kohring. An error by Grand Oaks allowed courtesy runner Caleb Maurer to score as well.

The Grizzlies got one run back in the bottom of the second, but the Cubs still led 6-1

In the top of the third, Brenham tacked on two more runs. Cannon Credeur and Gee hit back-to-back singles. Two batters later, Mendoza singled home Credeur, and then Gee scored on a sac fly by Kohring. Brenham was now in front 8-1.

The Cubs would add six more runs in the fourth inning. Hardy drew a one-out walk, and his cousin, Brady Rau, was brought in to run for him. Blaine Bartlett reached on a fielder's choice, and then Credeur smacked an RBI double to score Rau. Gee followed with an RBI single to score Bartlett. Finke would draw a walk to load the bases for Mendoza. He then cleaned them off with a grand slam, which also was an $80 winner in the Buccaneer Food Store Home Run Inning. That increased Brenham's lead to 14-1.

The Cubs weren't done yet. Rau started it off with a single, and Bartlett reached on an error. Gee was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Fink hit an RBI single to score Rau. Mendoza would then cap off his night with a three-run triple to empty the bases. Kohring singled home Mendoza. Bentke followed with double. Rau then came up again, and hit a two-run single to score Kohring and Bentke.

Mendoza went 4 for 4, hitting for the cycle, and finishing with nine RBIs.

Grand Oaks got one more run in the fifth, but it was nowhere near enough.

Preston Lee pitched the first three innings and picked up the win. Logan Mason closed it down in the fifth.

Next up, the Cubs will have their home opener at Fireman's Park on Tuesday night. It will be a re-match with Friendswood beginning at 5pm.

HITTING

Landry Mendoza 4-4 single, double, triple, grand slam, three runs, nine RBIs

Grady Gee 3-3 two singles, double, HBP, four funs, RBI

Owen Finke 2-3 single, double, walk, three runs, three RBIs

Cannon Credeur 2-4 single, double, two runs, RBI

Drake Bentke 2-5 single, double, run, RBI

Barrett Kohring 2-3 two singles, walk, sac fly, two runs, two RBIs

Brady Rau 2-2 two singles, two runs, two RBIs

Tanner Reese 1-5 RBI single

PITCHING

WP Preston Lee 3 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 2K's

Logan Mason 2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 K's