Mustangs drop close one to Booker

The Mustangs traveled to Booker on Good Friday, April 22nd, to take on the Kiowas. With a win the Mustangs would put themselves into the playoffs. It was beautiful day for baseball. A ground out and a lucky fly ball catch got two quick outs to start the game. Tate Wilkerson came to the plate and smacked the ball down the line for a two out double. A strikeout left him stranded and sent the Mustangs out to play defense. Austin Miller started on the mound with Manny Monteiro behind the plate. A hit by pitch got the first batter on. A fly out caught by Brandon Nichols recorded the first out. A single to center scored a run and with errors the batter stood on third. A walk put another runner on the bases and then a passed ball allowed another run to score. A pop up to Wilkerson and a pop up to Tyler Peden ended the inning. Bradley Cornell got things started in the top of the second with a single up the middle. Seth Skarke hit a single to left to have two on. In an attempt to pick off Skarke, the first baseman missed the ball and Cornell was able to score. An error allowed Nichols to reach the bases. A fly out to center recorded the first out of the inning. Brady Miller stepped to the plate and hit to left field for a double that scored Skarke and Nichols. B. Miller tried to stretch it to third, but he was thrown out on the throw by the catcher. A strikeout retired the side. A. Miller started the bottom of the second off with a strikeout. A hit by pitch and a walk got to runners on the bags. A fly out to right caught by Jeremiah Hughes got the second out. An error on the hit by the next batter allowed a run to score. A walk loaded the bases. The next batter hit a double to left center to score three. A single to left and a walk had the bases loaded again. B. Miller then came and took over on the mound. A strikeout left the bases loaded and ended the inning. A fly out to center, a pop up to short, and a strikeout had the Mustangs back on the field. A double started the bottom of the third. B. Miller got two strikeouts and then a pop up was caught by Wilkerson. Cornell started off the top of the fourth with a double to left center. Skarke hit a single to left to score Cornell. He turned to take second and slid in, but somehow he was out. A put out from the pitcher had out number two. An error on the first baseman allowed Hughes to reach the bags. A fly out to center retired the side. The bottom of the fourth started with a single to left. Two strikeouts had two quick outs. An error allowed another batter to get on and another error allowed runners to reach third and second. The next batter reached on an error that allowed a run to score. B. Miller fought back and got a strikeout to end the inning. A fly out to center started the top of the fifth. Peden hit a hard hit ball down the left field line for a double. Wilkerson reached on an error. A. Miller hit a single to left to score Peden. Cornell hit a single to left to score Wilkerson. Skarke hit into a called infield fly for out two. A strikeout sent the Mustangs back on the field. The Mustangs got three up three down in the bottom of the fifth courtesy of a strikeout, a fly out caught by Nichols, and a put out from Peden to A. Miller. Two outs came quickly in the top of the sixth on a strikeout and a pop up to the pitcher. Monteiro came to the plate and hit a single up the middle. Peden hit a single to left. To continue on the two out rally, Wilkerson hit a single to left to score Monteiro. A strikeout retired the side before any more runs were able to cross. A walk started the bottom of the sixth. A put out from Wilkerson to A. Miller got out number one. A sac bunt got the out from B. Miller to Wilkerson. A double to left scored a run. A single up the middle scored another run for Booker. A pop up caught by Peden ended the inning. The Mustangs couldn't generate anymore offense and went down on a fly out to center, a strikeout, and a ground out. The Mustangs lost 7-9. A. Miller had one strikeout on the day and B. Miller had seven. Cornell lead all hitting going 3 for 4. Hitting doubles for the Mustangs were Peden, Wilkerson, Cornell, and B. Miller.