MIDLAND – Chris Guzman's two-out RBI single in the bottom of the seventh inning, helping El Paso Socorro defeat Flower Mound Marcus, 7-6, in Game 1 of the Class 5A Region I final at Christensen Stadium.
Marcus fell behind, 4-1, when lightning delayed the game for more than two hours in the fourth inning.
Socorro, ranked No. 4 in Texas, scored two more runs in the fourth, but Marcus battled back, scoring four times in the sixth inning and one more in the seventh. That set up Guzman, who hit a hard grounder into center field to bring home the winning run.
Victor Guerra sparked Marcus's four-run rally with a two-run home run, and Colby Coltrain added a two-run single on an 0-2 pitch.
In the seventh, Marcus tied the score when Michael Gill scored on a wild pitch.
Game 2 will start at 11 a.m. today.
Aaron Olivas earned the win after relieving Bobby Mares, who pitched 6 2/3 innings. Tyler Carter pitched the first 3 2/3 innings before being relieved by Chris Johnson, who retired the side in order in the fifth and sixth innings and finished with five strikeouts. However, he took the loss, allowing the run in the seventh.
Marcus jumped out to a 1-0 lead, but Socorro scored twice in the bottom of the first inning.
Mares' two-out, two-run home run to left field in the third gave Socorro a 4-1 lead.
