The Olton Mustangs’ varsity baseball team came up short in game two of their Class 2A Regional Quarterfinal Series against New Home Thursday afternoon, 15-5, bringing their season to an end after a historic run for the program.
The Mustangs finish the regular season with a mark of 27-7-2, were District 3-2A Champions, 2A Bi-district Champions, 2A Area Champions and 2A Regional Quarterfinalists.
In the top of the first inning, Brody Langford hit a short fly over third base, that was played by the shortstop, but Langford was able to beat the throw to first to give Olton a base runner. Jake Soliz came on as the courtesy runner for the pitcher. Logan Lassiter laid down a bunt that was fielded by Logan Addison on the mound, who went to second on the fielder’s choice. Lassiter was initially safe at first, but Soliz was called for interference after not sliding at second base, giving them two outs. Brennon Huguley chopped out to Addison on the mound to retire the side.
In the home-half of the first, Jackson Raines laced a triple down the first-base line to lead things off for New Home. He would score on a past ball a few plays later to put the Leopards up, 1-0, before Brazos Beck was thrown out at first on a dropped third strike for out number one. Addison doubled down the third-base line, but Langford got Mason Turnbow to strike out swinging for out number two.
Brody Emert ripped a double past Paul Lopez at third base and took third on the throw home from Alan Vasquez in left field that got past Langford at the plate, making the score, 2-0. Langford would recover, as he got Ryder Watkins to strike out looking to end the inning.
The Mustangs were unable to get anything going offensively, in the top of the second, as Cole Montgomery, Lopez and Eric Valencia all struck out swinging to retire the side.
Brenden Beckham drew a leadoff walk to begin the bottom of the second and he took second on a past ball, before Ryder Starkey hit a grounder to Lopez at third and was thrown out at first for out number one. Beckham advanced to third on the play. Hunter Watkins laid down a sacrifice bunt on the first-base line that was fielded by Langford and thrown to first for out number two, as a run scored to stretch the lead to, 3-0.
Raines drew a walk and Beck was hit by a pitch for New Home, before Addison hit a shot to right field and ended up with a two-RBI double on the error by Jacob Marquez, making the score, 5-0, as Dylan Carillo came on as the courtesy runner for the pitcher. Turnbow followed it up with an RBI-double in the left-center field gap to push their lead to, 6-0. Turnbow would take third on a past ball, but he would be stranded, as Emert chopped out to Lopez at third to end the inning.
In the top of the third, Adolfo Garcia struck out swinging for out number one for Olton, but Vasquez drew a walk, bringing Ozzy Rodriguez as the pinch runner. Marquez and Langford were both hit by a pitch to load the bases and Lassiter knocked an RBIsingle to the right side on the error by the first baseman, cutting the lead to, 6-1.
Huguley and Montgomery drew back-to-back RBI-walks to make the score, 6-3, as Beck relieved Addison on the mound for New Home. Lopez laced a two-RBI double off of the glove of Emert in right-center field to cut the lead to, 6-5, but Valencia struck out swinging and Garcia chopped out to Beck on the first-base side to retire the side.
New Home would answer back in the bottom of the third inning, as Ryder Watkins led things off with a triple in the right-center field gap. Beckham knocked in a run with a single to right field to push their lead to, 7-5. Beckham would go first-to-third on a bad pick to first by Langford, before Starkey drew a walk to put runners on the corners for the Leopards.
Hunter Watkins was hit by a pitch to load the bases and Raines followed it up with an RBI-walk to extend their lead to, 8-5. A run scored on a throw to second by Montgomery that got by Lassiter, making the score, 9-5, and Beck was a hit by a pitch to load the bases again for New Home.
Addison hit a sacrifice grounder to Fabian Gutierrez at second base and was thrown out at first for out number one, as another run crossed, pushing their lead to, 105. Raines scored on a past ball, moving a runner to third with the score, 11-5, and Turnbow was safe at first on a dropped third strike, as another run scored on the past ball making the score, 12-5.
Emert drew a walk to put runners on first and second for New Home, as Langford was relieved on the mound by Lassiter for Olton. Ryder Watkins knocked an RBI-single past Gutierrez at second base, moving Emert to third with the score stretched to, 13-5. Beckham followed it up with a two-RBI double to right field on a drop by Marquez, stretching the lead to, 15-5.
Starkey drew a walk, but Hunter Watkins laid down a sacrifice bunt to Lopez and was thrown out at first, moving the runners to second and third with two outs. Raines was hit by a pitch to load the bases, but Beck hit a one-hopper to Montgomery at shortstop and was thrown out at first to end the inning.
Olton Kept the Leopards quiet in the final two innings, but they could not scratch anymore runs across, as they fell to New Home in five innings, 15-5.