Raitz stars as Cowboys come out on top of pitcher’s duel against Wildcats
Coppell senior Bryan Raitz pitches in the first inning against Plano at the Coppell ISD Baseball/Softball Complex on Friday. Coppell defeated the Wildcats, 3-0.
April 2, 2023
In the top of the fifth inning of what to that point had been a scoreless pitcher’s duel, calm action from both teams erupted when Plano had three consecutive singles to center field and loaded the bases with no outs.
In a heated moment and cheers from the stands, Coppell senior Bryan Raitz stands on the pitcher’s mound with two strikes on the batter. Raitz throws a fastball to Coppell senior catcher Liam Krauss behind the plate and strikes the batter out.
With one out, Raitz’s pitch gets hit to shortstop Coppell senior TJ Pompey, who turns the double play to get the Cowboys out of the inning. With cheers and sighs of relief from the crowd, the Cowboys get ready to bat.
The Coppell baseball team defeated Plano, 3-0, at Coppell ISD Baseball/Softball Complex on Friday. The Cowboys move to 10-8-1 overall.
“[The team] is reliant on our pitchers,” Coppell coach Arnando Garza said. “We were throwing soft contact and we have an elite defense.”
The National Park College commit Raitz shined, through his ability to keep the number of hits for Plano at five.
“Raitz has been a rock for us,” Garza said. “He has been good to us. He goes up to the mound and you know exactly what you are going to get from him and he is a competitor through and through.”
During the bottom of the sixth inning of the game, with Pompey on third, Krauss’ RBI single scored Pompey at home give Coppell a 1-0 lead.
Soon after, Coppell junior Brodie Scott grounds a hard-hit ball out to second base. An error allowed Coppell senior Tanner Sever to score to increase the lead 2-0.
With Coppell pinch runner junior Nicholas Williams on third, a ball hit just short of Plano senior third baseman Brooks Matnis is thrown low and missed by Plano junior first baseman Zane Pecenka, allowing for Williams to score
Coppell finished the night with four hits and one error, while Plano Senior finished with five hits and three errors. Raitz ended the game with 12 strikeouts and had a 0.71 WHIP (walks and hits per inning pitched).
“I was out there completing every single pitch,” Raitz said. “I was taking it one guy at a time; it was exciting. After the double play [in the fifth inning], I knew there was no way we were losing that game.”
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