Claude Mustang Baseball "Tradition is not Accidental.": Mustangs roll on to win number 4

The Mustangs traveled to Shamrock yesterday to face the Fighting Irish. The Mustangs hit well, and captured another win. The first at bat for the Mustangs was slow except for a double by Manny Monteiro. Austin Miller started on the mound in the bottom of the first with Monteiro behind the plate. The Irish got off to a good start getting one on with a walk that later scored on an error. Another runner crossed the plate on another error before the inning finally ended. The Mustangs came alive in the second inning. Seth Skarke got hit by the pitch to get on the bags. Ransom Hollingsworth came to the plate next and hit a double to score Skarke. Ty Owens followed getting a hit to score Hollingsworth. Kaleb Wood came next hitting a single to score Owens. Brandon Nichols stepped up next and got a single to move a runner into scoring position. Devin Cornell followed suit and hit a single to score Wood and Nichols. Monteiro took the sacrifice to score Cornell. Brady Baggett got on with a hit by pitch and then was knocked in on a Miller double. Going through the line-up once, Skarke came up again and drew a walk. On a missed call from the coach to the batter, the Irish got a double play to retire the side. Miller came out strong in the bottom of the second striking out three quickly. The Mustangs had another good inning getting started with Owens reaching on a walk. After an out, Nichols hit a double to score Owens. Cornell reached on a walk, and Monteiro got another hit to score Nichols. Baggett then came and got a single to score Cornell. Baggett then messed with the Irish to get them to try to throw him out while Monteiro scored. After the play, Owens was quoted as saying, "...it scared me, but I liked it." Two strike-outs followed to end the at bat for the Mustangs. The Mustangs played strong defense getting two quick outs courtesy of Cornell, Miller, and Skarke. The Irish's pitcher came to the plate and hit a home run over the left field fence. A "pop-fly" home run is what most were calling. I mean come on, the wind was blowing like 45 miles an hour out of the west and the left field fence is due west of home plate. It was a homer though and the Irish got another run. After a walk, Monteiro threw out a runner headed to third, with Baggett laying the tag to end the inning. Hollingsworth got things going by getting hit by the pitch, followed by Owens reaching on an error. Wood ripped one that the short stopped missed to score Hollingsworth and Owens. After a strike-out, Cornell reached on a walk, which he was then knocked in on a Monteiro triple. Brady Baggett came up next and got an awesome hit for a double knocking in Monteiro. Trying to reach third, however, Baggett was thrown out at third. Miller came out swinging next and ripped a line drive over the left-center fence for his first home run of the season. Now I'm not just saying this because it's our team, but the wind had lulled a bit at that moment so his homer was a homer. A ground-out sent us to the bottom of the fourth. The Mustangs came out strong again defensively getting two outs around a batter reaching on getting hit. Then it fell apart a bit for the Mustangs. After a walk, and a BK scored one, a error knocked in two more runs. Two more hit by pitches got the Irish thinking they were going to put together a big rally. The Mustangs had different plans, however, and got their third out courtesy of Baggett and Hollingsworth. The Mustangs put up some more runs in the top of the fifth for good measure. Hollingsworth got things rocking with a single, followed by Owens reaching on a dropped ball by the first baseman. A Wood sacrifice scored Hollingsworth, and Owens scored just flat out using his wheels during the next batters at bat. Two outs off of a pop-up and ground-out sent us to the bottom of the fifth. The Mustangs' defense needed to keep the Irish from scoring 4 runs and they would get the win. The Mustangs were ready and got their first out from a line drive hit to Baggett who made a "fairy-like" jump to snag the ball. It really didn't look fairy-like, but I had to say it because that's how he described it. Miller then buckled down and finished off the next two with strike-outs, and capturing the win. The final score was 19-6. The Mustangs played pretty well most of the game. Miller pitched a one-hitter, and struck-out ten batters. The Mustangs also hit well, with all but one getting a hit. Getting doubles were Monteiro, Baggett, Miller, Hollingsworth, and Nichols. Getting a triple was Monteiro. Getting a home run was Miller. The Mustangs were also aggressive on the bases racking up 19 stolen bases. Great job guys. The boys will next take on the Follett Panthers in Follett for their second meeting. Good luck guys.

Miller pitching