Mustangs’ season ends with second loss to Alamo Heights
CASTROVILLE —The Marble Falls High School baseball team’s season is over, courtesy of a 10-0 loss to San Antonio Alamo Heights May 12 in six innings.
The Mules (23-10) swept Marble Falls in two games to advance to the regional quarterfinals.
The Mustangs (11-20) reached the second round of the playoffs for the first time under coach David Norwood. He is stepping down to become the Marble Falls Middle School boys athletic coordinator next school year.
“I’m glad we got to the playoffs,” he said. “(The new coach) will have a lot of good kids coming back.”
Athletic director Todd Dodge, who’s been on the job since Feb. 1, said he would begin searching for a new coach once the season ended.
To reach the playoffs, the Mustangs had to win tough road games at Dripping Springs and Leander Vandegrift. Meanwhile, Cedar Park Vista Ridge defeated Leander Rouse just to force a play-in game for the final spot.
The Mustangs beat Leander Rouse for that final spot 24 hours after a victory over Vandegrift.
“That’s a testament to those kids,” Norwood said. “These kids are poster children to what high school athletics is all about.”
One of the heroes in the wins against Rouse and Austin McCallum in the bi-district series was junior starting pitcher Cody Goodman.
But the Mules scouted Marble falls well and scored four runs off three hits in the first inning off of Goodman.
“I knew whoever got the momentum early would be the winning team,” the coach said. “They hit the ball well. We made mistakes early and couldn’t overcome them.”
Norwood inserted junior Cole Ridgely, who was just released to play last week after an injury-plagued season.
Ridgely struck out the first batter he faced and had a no-hitter until the fifth inning. That’s when the Mules scored four more runs off six hits.
“We didn’t expect Ridgely to do what he did,” Norwood said.
Junior Stacy Heinatz took over in the sixth inning.
Heights pitcher Sam Peacock earned the win.
The Mustangs will hold their awards ceremony 6:30 p.m. May 16 at the Marble Falls High School auditorium, 2101 Mustang Drive in Marble Falls.
The powerlifting and softball teams also will be honored.