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(ALEX HARVARDANSKY | THE GRAHAM LEADER) The Steers celebrate after winning the series 2-1 over the Lubbock Cooper Liberty Patriots. The Steers will now wait and see who they will be playing in the next round. -
(ALEX HARVARDANSKY | THE GRAHAM LEADER) Bruin Wright pitching for the Steers in their game two matchup Saturday, May 3 against the Lubbock Cooper Liberty Patriots. Wright pitched six and a third shutout innings to help pick up the win. -
(ALEX HARVARDANSKY | THE GRAHAM LEADER) Mike Garcia up on the bump Saturday, May 3 against the Lubbock Cooper Liberty Patriots. Garcia closed game three to send the Steers to the second round. -
(ALEX HARVARDANSKY | THE GRAHAM LEADER) Tripp Mahaney up at the plate Saturday, May 3 against the Lubbock Cooper Liberty Patriots. Mahaney came through late in game two with his second homer of the series.
The motto of the day for the Steers was survive and advance. That's exactly what they did defeating the Lubbock Cooper Liberty Patriots in games two and three.
The conditions of play were much better today with temperatures in the low 70s and clear sunny skies.
Things looked brighter for the Steers as a team as well jumping out to an early commanding lead.
Bruin Wright led the charge on the pitcher's mound and met the moment. Wright pitched six and third shutout innings for the team in game 2.
“After yesterday's emotional loss we needed that out of Bruin. We had to have that,” Head coach Allen McGee said.
The team picked up Wright's masterful performance by putting on a clinic offensively.
Graham erupted for six runs throughout the contest including a four run bottom of the second.
Some highlights from that inning included Tanner Hurford lining a ball right over the Lubbock shortstop's head for a single, scoring Harison Brockway. Ty Thompson also added to the damage hitting a sacrifice fly which scored the final run of the inning making it a 5-0 game.
Catcher Tripp Mahaney came through once again late in the contest with his second home run of the series plating two runs and making it an 8-0 ball game.
That would be all Graham needed to net a game two victory. With the series tied 1-1, it all came down to an all or nothing game three and the Steers would need a signature moment.
Things looked dicey throughout much of the contest as they went into the bottom of the sixth trailing 3-1. The Steers were just saving their best for last though.
After Thompson scored a run in the inning to make it a one run game, Ryder Taylor followed that up with a sacrifice fly to center field, scoring pinch runner Levi Jilek to tie the game.
Then came the team's signature moment. Things got back to the top of the order and Brockway came through with the game winning hit.
The Graham shortstop hit an RBI single through the center of the infield scoring pinch runner Colt Taylor and giving Graham their first lead of the game 4-3.
Relief pitcher Mike Garcia made quick work of the Patriots batting order in the top of the seventh to seal the series for Graham.
“We're going to take 24 hours to celebrate it,” McGee said. “It's hard to win in the playoffs. We'll get to work tomorrow afternoon on our next opponent.”
