Marble Falls baseball beats Burnet

CAPTION: Marble Falls junior pitcher John Alan Whittle credited his teammates for the outcome against Burnet. Photo by Martelle Luedecke/Luedecke Photography

The Marble Falls High School baseball team defeated Burnet 3-0 March 10 to begin District 24-4A play.

“I keep saying this, maybe I’m pleased myself, but I really feel like we kind of expect to win those,” head coach Tyler Porter said. “Now in the past, maybe we’re like ‘man, I think we could do it, and I hope we can do it,’ and all those things, without the expectation.”

But this season, he said, the Mustangs have had a different mindset, and it was reflected based on how they acted after the contest – no big celebrations, just a feeling of a job well done.

“Kids were pretty level about it all,” the coach said. “It was good.”

And this contest, in the district opener, featured players committed to making all plays good.

The Mustangs (11-2, 1-0) scored in the first inning when senior Canon Cochran hit a RBI single bringing junior John Alan Whittle home after he drew a walk.

Marble Falls added to the lead in the third inning thanks to a single by sophomore Crawford Mattox 2-0.

Then Mattox recorded another RBI in the fifth inning.

In all the Mustangs stole four bases and two were by Whittle.

Pitcher Whittle got the win by allowing four hits, one walk and striking out five in six innings. Freshman Gage Goebel got the save after coming in with two runners on base and no outs in the seventh inning.

“I think our defense played really well – they got it done,” Whittle said. “I never had a doubt. Our defense played great and put an emphasis on that – defense. I knew if I just filled it up, guys are going to put balls in play. And Gage did a good job coming in and closing.”

The Mustangs didn’t commit an error.

Burnet’s hits came from seniors Charles Edwards and Cason O’Hair, sophomore Cooper Evans and junior Mason Watson.

Pitcher Watson was credited with the loss. He allowed two earned runs on seven hits and three walks while striking out five. The Bulldogs turned one double play in the game.

Because of weather, officials decided the varsity game was going to be played two hours earlier than scheduled. Porter said that wasn’t a disruption to his team’s routine.

“It’s our first district game, we don’t really have a routine yet,” he said. “We do as far as how we prepare and how we travel. But all our kids don’t know any better yet, especially the young ones.”

He credited Marble Falls High School Principal Patrick Hinson for allowing for ensuring the Mustangs could stay as close to their normal schedule as possible.

“It was a good win against a good team,” the coach said. “But it’s just our first district game. We have 11 more of them.”

Burnet will visit the Mustangs Friday, March 13, at Scearce Baseball Field with the junior varsity playing at 5 p.m. and the varsity at 7 p.m.

CAPTION: Burnet pitcher junior pitcher Mason Watson and the Bulldogs battled until the final out against the Mustangs. Photo by Martelle Luedecke/Luedecke Photography