Marble Falls baseball loses to Salado
CAPTION: Marble Falls sophomore pitcher Crawford Mattox gets a grounder and tosses it to first for the out during the 2-1 loss to Salado April 1. Staff photo by Jennifer Fierro
The Marble Falls High School baseball team lost to Salado 2-1 April 1 and 9-1 March 31 in District 24-4A play.
“My kids did a good job of two things,” Mustangs head coach Tyler Porter said. “We got home late (March 31) after losing that game and then coming back and competing – that was good, that was definitely a positive.”
Down 2-0 going into the seventh inning April 1, the Mustangs (15-5, 3-3) looked to rally.
Senior Atreyu Machacek, who pitched in the sixth and seventh innings, faced Salado (14-8, 8-0) pitcher Ethan Robledo, who came in to close the game.
Machacek reached on an error by the third baseman then went to second and third when balls were thrown to first on grounders for outs. The Mustang went home on a wild pitch.
But the game ended when Robledo struck out the last batter.
Robledo was a starting pitcher last year and at the beginning of the season and Porter said he thought the Mustangs would face him at some point during the series.
Salado pitcher Trey Waters began the game and walked juniors John Alan Whittle and Grant Carter, the first batters he faced in the bottom of the first inning. But he got out of the jam by forcing a fly out to center field, striking out the fourth batter, and forcing the fifth to ground out.
No Mustang got on base until the fourth inning. Senior Canon Cochran led off with a walk and went to second on a wild pitch. The next Mustang struck out and a 6-3 groundout kept Cochran at second. Machacek hit a ball up the middle and Cochran ran on the first sound of the ball hitting the bat. With few scoring opportunities, Cochran was sent home. But center fielder Brayden Naegele threw an accurate ball to the catcher, who tagged the Mustang out a second before he could touch the plate. Once he tagged Cochran and turned to show the umpire the ball was in his glove, the official called the Mustang out at home to end the threat.
Waters finished with six strikeouts and four walks and didn’t surrender a hit or a run in five innings.
Game two was a far cry from game one.
The Eagles plated four runs in the third inning thanks to 2 RBI singles and a 2 RBI triple.
In all Salado had 14 hits led by Landen Noske who recorded three singles and a triple.
Salado pitcher Naegele allowed two hits and a run with eight strikeouts and no walks in seven innings.
“I think we saw whomever they think their No. 1 is,” Porter said. “I think we saw their three best pitchers I’m sure.”
Marble Falls junior pitcher John Alan Whittle allowed nine runs off 14 hits and three walks while striking out two in 5 2/3 innings.
To Porter, this series wasn’t so much about the greatness of the Salado pitchers, though he had plenty of respect for what they could do on the mound.
“They were able to play defense,” he said. “Some balls that, in other games, maybe squirt away or maybe we beat it out – they didn’t make any mistakes, which is good for them. Their pitching did a good job.”
And he added that he thought his hitters helped the Salado pitchers at the plate by chasing balls or not forcing the pitch count to go higher.
As for the mistakes, the most glaring may have occurred with the first Eagle batter of the second game.
Porter said it was “misplayed” by the Marble Falls infielder on a grounder sent to him. The runner reached first and was out on a fielder’s choice at second, but it allowed his teammate to be safe at first. The second batter stole second, went to third on a pass ball, and scored when a grounder was hit to Whittle, who had no choice but to throw to first for the out, allowing the Eagle to score the unearned run.
That resulted in the 2-1 Salado victory.
Marble Falls turns its attention to Lampasas (15-5-4, 7-0). Game one is at Scearce Baseball Field Tuesday, April 7, and game two is in Lampasas. The junior varsity plays 4:30 p.m. and the varsity at 7 p.m. The Badgers beat Georgetown Gateway 3-1 March 31.
CAPTION: After catching a blooper over his shoulder for the out, Marble Falls junior shortstop John Alan Whittle throws to second for a double play in the fourth inning. Staff photo by Jennifer Fierro
