Mustangs walk it off against OWls to open distrit

The Olton Mustang’s varsity baseball team opened district play on Monday, as junior, Jaxon Tomsu, blasted a two-run walk-off homerun to right field to lift the Mustangs over the Hale Center Owls, 10-8.

With the win, the Mustangs improved to 4-8 overall, 1-0 in district play.

Junior, Alan Vasquez, took the mound for Olton to open the game, but he gave up a lead off walk to Jordan Salazar and DJ Hinojosa was hit by a pitch, putting runners on first and second for the Owls with no outs. Mike Lopez struck out swinging, but on a dropped third strike, Jaxon Tomsu made the throw to first, allowing Salazar to score from second and Hinojosa to advance to second with one out, as the Owls took a, 1-0, lead.

Aaron Trevino hit a sacrifice shot to Fabian Gutierrez at third base, who got the out at first, as Hinojosa advanced to third with two outs. Fernando Pina Jr. knocked an RBI-single into center field to push their lead to, 2-0, but Vasquez would field a bunt laid down by Ryan Mesquite, getting the out at first to retire the side.

In the home-half of the first, senior, Jacob Marquez, drew a leadoff walk for Olton and he took second and third on past balls to get into scoring position for the Mustangs. Senior, Cole Montgomery, hit a slow roller to Trevino at third, but his throw to first was off the mark, as Marquez scored to make trim the lead to, 2-1. Montgomery stole second on a past ball and Junior, Adolfo Garcia, hit a sacrifice grounder to Mesquite at shortstop, moving Montgomery over to third with one out.

Freshman, Jett Tomsu, was hit by a pitch and took second on a pitch, before Vasquez popped up to Hinojosa at second base for out number two. Jaxon Tomsu popped up to the first-base side, but the ball was missed by Pina Jr., as Montgomery scored and Jett Tomsu took third, putting runners on the corners with the score tied, 2-2.

Senior, Eddie Ramirez, would ground out to Mesquite at shortstop to end the inning.

In the top of the second inning, Montgomery relieved Vasquez on the mound, as Lionel Martinez was tagged out by Jaxon Tomsu on a dropped third strike for out number one. Cesar Pina popped up to Marquez in right-center field for out number two, but Jessie Castillo hit a slow roller under the glove of Montgomery on the mound. The ball was fielded by Gutierrez at shortstop, but Castillo beat the throw to first to give the Owls a base runner.

Castillo would take second on a past ball, before Salazar flew out to Eddie Ramirez in left field to retire the side.

In the bottom half of the second, junior, Raymond Ramirez struck out looking for out number one, but Gutierrez drew a walk to give Olton a base runner. He stole second on a pitch and made it to third on a throw into right field, before scoring on a throw into the dugout to put Olton in front, 3-2. Marquez doubled down the leftfield line and Montgomery followed it up with an RBI-single to left-center field, making the score, 4-2.

Montgomery took second on a pitch and Garcia singled on a hit to second base that was bobbled by Hinojosa, putting runners on the corners for Olton. Garcia took second on a pitch, before Jett Tomsu hit a sacrifice grounder to Lopez away from the bag at first. Pina Jr. was there to cover the bag, as Montgomery scored and Garcia advanced to third, making the score, 5-3, with two outs. Vasquez would pop up to Mesquite behind second base to end the inning.

Montgomery made quick work of the Owls in the top of the third inning, as he got Hinojosa and Lopez to strike out swinigng, and Trevino to strike out looking to retire the side.

Jaxon Tomsu trippled to rightcenter field to begin the third inning, and Eddie Ramirez drove him in with an RBI-single on an error by Mesquite at shortstop, pushing their lead to, 6-2. He took second on a pitch, before Raymond Ramirez popped up a bunt to the catcher for out number one. Gutierrez struck out looking and Marquez popped up to Lopez at first base to end the inning.

In the top of the fourth, the Owls would load the baes, but they were unable to capitalize, as Montgomery got Salazar to ground out to Vasquez at third to retire the side.

Montgomery opened the homehalf of the fourth with a lead-off double through the left side and Garcia hit a sacrifice grounder to Mesquite at shortstop, moving Montgomery to third with one out. Jett Tomsu followed it up with an RBI-single to left field, pushing their lead to, 7-2, and he took second on a pitch, before Vasquez struck out swinging for out number two.

Jett Tomsu stole third on a past ball and scored a few pitches later on a bad throw down to third by the catcher, making the score, 8-2, before Jaxon Tomsu popped up to Lopez at first in foul territory to end the inning.

The Owls would break through in the top of the fifth inning, as Hinojosa singled through the left side and Lopez was hit by a pitch putting two runners on for Hale Center. Trevino hit a chopper to Gutierrez at shortstop, who got the force out at second leaving runners on the corners for the Owls with one out.

Trevino took second on a past ball, before Pina Jr. popped up to Garcia at first base for out number two. Mesquite hit an RBI-single up the middle that was kept on the infield by Gutierrez, but he was not able to make the play at first, making the score, 8-3.

Trevino scored on a balk, moving Mesquite to second with the score cut to, 8-4 and Martinez hit a grounder to first that hit the bag and bounced over Garcia for an RBI-double, trimming the lead to, 8-5. Cesar Pina laid down a bunt to the third-base side that was fielded by Montgomery, but the throw to first was off the mark, allowing a run to score and Cesar Pina to advance to second on the play with the score cut to, 8-6.

Montgomery settled back in on the mound and got Castillo to pop up to Vasquez at third to retire the side.

The Owls were able to scratch a run across in the top of the sixth with two outs, as Hinojosa stole home to cut the lead to, 8-7, before Lopez was caught stealing by Montgomery to retire the side.

The Mustangs were kept quiet in the bottom of the sixth inning and in the top of the seventh, when the Owls came back to the plate. Pina Jr. singled up the middle, but Mesquite popped up to Jaxon Tomsu in front of the plate for out number one. Martinez hit a sacrifice grounder to Gutierrez at shortstop, who got the out at first, as Mesquite advanced to second on the play.

Cesar Pina hit a fly ball to right field that was dropped by Marquez, allowing Mesquite to score from third, tying the game, 8-8. The Mustangs would settle down, as Montgomery got Castillo to chop out to Jett Tomsu at second base to retire the side.

Jett Tomsu drew a lead-off walk to begin the bottom of the seventh for Olton. Mesquite relieved Hinojosa on the mound for the Owls, as Jett Tomsu stole second on a past ball before Vasquez chopped out to Hinojosa at shortstop, as Jett Tomsu advanced to third on the play. Jaxon Tomsu would walk it off with a two-run homerun to right field to seal the victory for the Mustangs, 10-8.

Vasquez started on the mound for the Mustangs pitching one inning, giving up two walks and two runs, while earning two strikeouts. Montgomery came on in relief, pitching six innings, giving up two walks and six runs, while earning six strikeouts.