Mustangs earn first district victory in extra innings

The Marble Falls High School baseball team earned its first win of the District 25-5A season, a 9-8 walk-off victory in the ninth inning against Georgetown East View April 1.

A.J. Scovil hit the winning RBI to score the runner from second base.

“We finally had some things that went our way,” head coach Tyler Porter said. “It’s definitely a good win for us.”

The Mustangs (5-9, 1-4) and the Patriots each scored three runs in the second inning.

“Answering back is always something we (try to) do,” the coach said. “Going toe to toe and putting up runs — the kids showed they’re not going to roll over. They’re going to recharge.”

But East View (4-10-1, 1-5) plated three runs in the fifth for a 6-3 advantage that held until the seventh inning. Porter said he didn’t say much as the Mustangs put their gloves down and reached for their bats.

“They know what to do,” he said. “They had three outs to get three runs. We had a couple of hits and some walks.”

Porter said Marble Falls had chances to win the game before the ninth, but the Patriots found ways to get out of jams.

That set up Scovil in the ninth inning. The coach said he was happy for the Mustang, a player who hasn’t played much and delivered in a big moment for his team.

Pitcher Cole Cochran, who took the mound in the ninth and was one of four Mustang pitchers who threw, picked up the win. Evan Nickowski had 5 strikeouts, while Brady Elwartowski recorded four.

East View had four hits but took advantage of four Mustang errors. The Patriots also had four errors, but Marble Falls had seven hits. Isaias Roman and Jon “Gouda” Zamarippa each had 2 RBIs. Cocharn was walked three times during the contest.

The adversity Marble Falls faced wasn’t limited to the diamond. Illnesses forced Porter to bring a junior varsity player up and the Mustangs had about 10 players suited up for the contest.

This is the second district game Marble Falls has played in that went to extra innings. The first was a 1-0 loss to Cedar Park on March 16. In that loss, the Mustangs couldn’t generate the key hit for the winning run, and Porter said his players’ ability to keep fighting continues to be a key component.

“That’s something we talk about,” he said. “We get knocked down and have trouble getting up off the mat. Not this time. It says a lot about them and their character in general.”

State testing won’t allow the Mustangs to play until a road game at Leander Rouse, 1222 Raider Way in Leander, at 7 p.m. Friday, April 8, to end the first round of district play. Then Marble Falls travels to Cedar Park, 2150 Cypress Creek Road in Cedar Park, for a 1 p.m. first pitch Saturday, April 9. The next home game is against Georgetown at 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 12, at Scearce Field, 2102 Mustang Drive.

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