Mustangs get a Good Friday win

     The Mustangs traveled to Stinnett to take on West Texas High on Friday, March 29. This was the 3rd game of the Mustangs MLB-like schedule. The weather couldn't make up its mind about what it wanted to do, but it was a pretty nice day overall.

     It was a different sort of pitching than the Mustangs normally see. Two pop-ups took down the first two Mustang batters. Tate Wilkerson was able to reach on an error to get the Mustangs on base. Seth Skarke came to the plate and belted a double to left to score Wilkerson. A strikeout retired the side for the Mustangs.
     Seth Skarke started on the mound with Tyler Peden behind the plate. Two errors got the first to WT batters on the bases. With a quick throw from Skarke to shortstop Wilkerson, the runner on second was picked off. The next batter hit into a 5-4-3 double play courtesy of Maison Mays, Logan Johnson, and Bailey Morrow. After 1, the score was 1-0.

     Once again the Mustangs came out a bit impatient at the plate. A fly out and ground out got two quick outs. Jesse Mullins stepped to plate and hit a single to center. Morrow followed with reaching on a hit by pitch. For the final out, Z. Johnson rocked a ball to center and the center fielder just stuck his glove up and snagged it.
     The Mustangs stayed solid on defense getting two quick outs of their own on ground outs from Skarke to Morrow. A walk got a Comanche runner on, before a Skarke strikeout ended the 2nd inning.

     A fly out to center got the first out, before Wilkerson hit a double. A ground out got the second out for the Mustangs. Mays hit a single to left center to score Wilkerson. L. Johnson then followed with a double of his own to score Mays. A pop up to second sent the game to the bottom of the third.
     A ground out from L. Johnson to Morrow recorded the first out. A single to short right center put the  next batter on, but two more strikeouts didn't allow the Comanches anything. The Mustangs lead 3-0 after three.

     The Mustangs were still having trouble at the plate. Back to back strikeouts set two Mustangs down. Z. Johnson drew a walk and stole second to get into scoring position, but a ground out got the third out.
     Bradley Cornell took over behind the plate to start the bottom of the fourth, and the rest of the Mustangs shifted into their normal positions. A strikeout and a ground out from Wilkerson, now at second, to L. Johnson got the first two outs. A walk followed by two singles allowed a run to score for WT. A dropped third strike had the final out on a tag out by Cornell. After 4, the score was 3-1.

     The Mustangs finally got their bats going in the top of the fifth. Wilkerson got things going with a double to left center. Skarke was able to reach on a dropped third strike. Mays had a sacrifice fly to center that scored Wilkerson. L. Johnson followed with a single to score Skarke. An error by the left fielder had Cornell on board. A Mullins' single to left scored L. Johnson and Cornell. Morrow earned a base on balls that had WT changing pitchers. Z. Johnson was the first batter to face the new pitcher and rocked a double to center to score Mullins and Morrow. A fielder's choice ground out from Peden scored Z. Johnson. Wilkerson came back up and hit a single to left center. The Mustang run was ended on a caught foul pop-up.
     The Mustangs got a strikeout before a hit by pitch put the first runner on. A single to short center put aboard another runner. An error allowed one run to cross the plate. Another batter reached on a walk before the Mustangs got their two final outs courtesy of a Skarke strikeout and a ground out from Wilkerson to L. Johnson. The score after five was 10-2.

     A fly out to center got the fist out of the sixth inning. L. Johnson reached on a walk, followed by a double from Cornell to center to score L. Johnson. While Mullins was at bat, Cornell was able to reach home on a passed ball. Mullins eventually reached when he drew a walk, and then he stole second to get into scoring position. A strikeout had the second out before Z. Johnson got his second double of the game to right center that scored Mullins. An error on the shortstop brought Peden to the bases that scored Z. Johnson. Wilkerson hit a single down the left field line to score Peden. A caught pop up behind second retired the sides.
     A ground out from Peden to L. Johnson and a strikeout from Skarke got two quick outs in the bottom of the sixth. A walk and a single got WT runners into scoring position, but a strikeout for the final out ended the game. Mustangs won 15-2.

Skarke ended the day with 9 strikeouts. Wilkerson went 4 for 5 at the plate, hitting two doubles. Also hitting doubles for the Mustangs were Z. Johnson with two, Skarke, L. Johnson, and Cornell. After three games the Mustangs were 2-1 in district.