Marble Falls baseball tied for first after double-header wins
JENNIFER FIERRO • PICAYUNE STAFF
MARBLE FALLS — The Marble Falls High School baseball team extended two big streaks March 28.
The Mustangs swept Leander Vandegrift in a doubleheader 2-1 in the first game and 5-2 in the second.
They also earned their second consecutive sweep in District 25-4A and are currently in a first-place tie with Dripping Springs in the District 25-4A standings.
“Our strength all year has been pitching and defense,” Marble Falls head coach J.T. Blair said. “(Thursday) night was a great example.”
In the opening contest, Marble Falls scored the winning run in the bottom of the sixth inning when junior Carson Bowen trotted home once Domenic Patterson was hit by a pitch.
Marble Falls ended the game on a double-play that started when senior pitcher Cole Ridgely picked up the high bouncer and threw to shortstop Stacy Heinatz for the out. Heinatz fired the ball to junior first baseman Hunter Dooley for the victory.
Marble Falls struck first when Bowen went to third and home on pass balls in the opening inning.
Vandegrift tied it in the second with an RBI single from Dylan Hoover.
Once the Vipers had runners on second and third with no outs in the fourth inning, Blair inserted Ridgely on the mound.
He promptly struck out the side to force the Vipers to strand the runners and recorded seven strikeouts in a row.
Game 2 went much like the first.
In the sixth inning, Marble Falls broke a 2-2 tie when Patterson hit an RBI single to bring home senior catcher Joey Blackledge and Bowen. Heinatz scored on a pass ball.
Heinatz went to the mound in the sixth inning and gave up only one free base but had a strikeout.
The Mustangs scored in the opening inning when senior designated hitter Saul Guzman was hit with a pitch to bring home Bowen.
After the Vipers scored a run in the second and fourth innings, Marble Falls tied the game on an RBI single from Blackledge.
Marble Falls stranded five runners in the first game and 11 in the second.
“We did get some big hits,” Blair said. “The good thing was we didn’t lose our composure. We knew we were going to get a chance to have a big one, and we did.”
Though neither starting pitcher, senior Cody Goodman or junior Garrett Winslett, got the wins, Blair credited them for their performances.
“They got us quality innings and kept us in the games,” the coach said. “We had good, quality starts from our pitchers.”
And he wasn’t surprised the outcomes weren’t decided until the sixth innings.
“Vandegrift has their back against the wall,” Blair said. “They played like it. They wanted to win. Luckily are kids are pretty tough.”
jfierro@thepicayune.com
[tabs style=”default”] [tab title=”GAME STATS”]ON OFFENSE: Marble Falls (game 2) — Runs: Carson Bowen 2; RBIs: Domenic Patterson 1; (game 3) RBIs – Patterson 2, Guzman 1, Blackledge 1; runs: Bowen 2, Heinatz 1, Damico 1, Blackledge 1
ON DEFENSE: Winning pitcher (game 2) – (Marble Falls) Cole Ridgely (6-1-1) Cole Ridgely (Marble Falls) 1 hit, no walks, 7 strikeouts in 3 innings; losing pitcher – (Vandegrift ) Michael Biasello 2 earned runs off 5 hits, 4 walks, 1 hit by pitch, 3 strikeouts. Winning pitcher – (Marble Falls) Stacy Heinatz (1-0), no runs, no hits, 1 hit by pitch, 1 strikeout in 2 innings; losing pitcher (Vandegrift) Roe Melia 3 earned runs off 6 hits, 4 walks and 2 strikeouts in 2 1/3 innings.
RECORDS: Marble Falls is 16-3 overall and 8-1 in District 25-4A; Vandegrift is 2-10 in district play.
UP NEXT: Marble Falls vs. Cedar Park Vista Ridge, 7 p.m. April 4 at Scearce Field, 2101 Mustang Drive in Marble Falls[/tab] [tab title=”DISTRICT STANDINGS”]Dripping Springs, 8-1
Marble Falls, 8-1
Leander, 8-4
Cedar Park Vista Ridge, 4-5
Cedar Park, 3-6
Leander Vandegrift, 2-10
Leander Rouse, 3-9 [/tab] [/tabs]