Mustangs ready to face top district team
MARBLE FALLS — The Marble Falls High School baseball team will go from playing the two worst teams in District 25-4A to facing two of the best this week.
The Mustangs (11-13, 5-3 in district) will travel to face division-leading Pflugerville Hendrickson (19-2, 7-0) 7 p.m. Tuesday and then end the week at Lake Travis (18-13, 5-3).
“Anytime you play good people, it’s a challenge,” head coach David Norwood said. “We have a challenge ahead of us and accept the challenge. We’ll battle as hard as we can and accept the challenge.”
With playing the best teams, Norwood also is expecting to face each opponent’s top pitcher.
So he believes Hendrickson senior pitcher Trevor Seidenberger will be on the mound.
“We can’t allow an at-bat to affect us the rest of the game,” Norwood said. “We’re going to have to battle at the plate.”
The same holds true for the Mustangs on defense, he said.
“We have to understand they’re going to have success against us,” the coach said. “I have to be able to keep my composure and continue to work.”
The Hawks beat Hutto, 1-0, April 13 and finished the week with a 4-1 victory at Lake Travis to complete the sweep of the Cavaliers.
Norwood had not decided on a starter but was leaning toward using multiple pitchers to keep Hendrickson off balance.
“We’re going to try to give them several different looks,” the coach said.
Still, the Mustangs are in great shape. Because of beating Lampasas and Killeen High last week, Marble Falls has secured a playoff spot. Now it’s a matter of improving its finish in the district standings.
“We want to play good baseball,” Norwood said. “It’s not complicated.”
The Hawks beat Marble Falls, 10-5, in the first round.
While Friday ends the regular season for District 25, other divisions will have one game left because of Texas Assessment of Knowledgeable Skills testing, which will be conducted April 27-30.
District certification is due to the University Interscholastic League May 4, so divisions will have plenty of time to conduct play-in games if needed.
Norwood said he has contacted possible opponents for a warm-up game since the Mustangs are looking at going more than a week without playing a contest.
But he did not reveal details simply because he wants his players focused on the final two games of the regular season.