BASEBALL: Mustangs ready for final home regular-season game
MARBLE FALLS — Before the Marble Falls High School baseball team can concentrate on the top two District 25-4A opponents, the Mustangs (10-13, 4-3 in district) must focus on Lampasas.
And the Mustangs have plenty of distractions headed into the 7 p.m. Friday contest at Scearce Baseball Field, 2101 Mustang Drive.
First, it’s the last regular season game, so the program will have senior and parent night before the first pitch.
Second, Marble Falls already beat the Badgers (1-6), 21-2, March 30, so head coach David Norwood does not want his players to relax headed into this contest. Nor does he want them to overlook the Badgers.
In short, he wants them to have the same instinct they had in Lampasas in the first round – jump out to a lead and keep building on it.
And though the 10-3 win against Killeen High Tuesday secured the Mustangs a playoff berth, Norwood does not want his players to be satisfied.
“Now we want to improve our playoff positioning,” the coach said.
Senior Cooper Bowen (3-2-1) pitched two innings in the win, he will most likely not pitch Friday because he relieved senior Turner McQuaide in the victory against Killeen earlier in the week.
Freshman Cole Ridgley (1-1) relieved Bowen in the last game against Lampasas.
“To give Cole varsity experience,” the Mustangs skipper said.
Coaches were unsure who would pitch against the Badgers.
Still, Norwood said the Mustangs are looking to build on their performance against Killeen High.
Marble Falls scored five runs in the first inning and led, 7-0, by the middle of the third inning.
Norwood said he was pleased with his team’s intensity to start the contest.
“We were aggressive on the bases,” he said. “We scored a couple more and went into cruise control.”
The Mustangs skipper said he believes his players will compete at their very best.
“We’re looking forward to a big night,” he said. “If we’ll go out and play baseball, we’ll be able to take care of business. It’s more about us than it is about them.”
District 25-4A Standings
Pflugerville Hendrickson 7-0
Lake Travis 5-2
Hutto 4-3
Marble Falls 4-3
Lampasas 1-6
Killeen 0-7