The Mustangs also had Ryan Mitchell — which is never a bad thing.
Mitchell, the team’s highly touted sophomore second baseman, drove in two runs and made a terrific defensive play late as the Mustangs celebrated Senior Day with a 4-3 victory over the Brothers.
With the teams being in different classifications, the result meant nothing in terms of the postseason. But it meant everything to the surging Mustangs (30-8), who have won 15 of their last 17 and will be the No. 1 seed for the upcoming district tournament.
“Obviously when you get into a game it becomes bigger than it probably is,” said Houston coach Lane McCarter. “We didn’t play them last year so it was good to get that rivalry back together. Great crowd on a Saturday for sure.”
That crowd was treated to some good baseball all-around, with Mitchell leading the way. Houston was down 1-0 in the bottom of the third when he came up with the bases loaded and two out. Staying patient against CBHS starter Nathan Ferris, the Georgia Tech commit roped a two-run double to left-center that gave Houston a 2-1 lead.
“That guy right there, he’s a really great pitcher,” said Mitchell, who bats second in the order. “My first AB, I got under it ... (and) I realized he was throwing change-ups first pitch. I fought him off, got deep in the count, (got) a fastball away.”
The lead lasted until the top of the fifth when Trenton Lyons sent a Tyler Yearwood offering over the wall. His eighth home run of the year put CBHS on top 3-2. It was another strong game for the senior catcher, who has been locked in at the pate since opening day and went 2 for 3, while driving in all of his team’s runs.
“If they want to fire me for pitching to Lyons there, they should probably fire me,” McCarter joked. “Everybody in the park thought we were going to pitch around him of put him on. He got a fastball on the inner third and did what he’s supposed to.”
Houston then got the tying and go-ahead runs in the bottom of the sixth. With men on first and second, a pitch got past Lyons and rolled to the backstop. Dean McCalla advanced to third and when Chandler Day broke for second, Lyons attempted to throw him out. McCalla took advantage and dashed home to tie it.
Collin Bland then walked and Robinson Martin reached on an infield single to load the bases. It was one of only three hits the Mustangs had all game but they didn’t need a hit to take the lead as CBHS reliever Walker Kreitz walked in the winning run.
Then in the top of the seventh, Mitchell came up with his web gem, ranging far to his right to snare a looping liner off the bat of Lucas Caraway. Houston’s Luke Miner then got Gabe Boyd on a called strike three to end it.
“Everyone knows me as a hitter but I want to show that I can do everything,” said Mitchell. “Field, hit, throw. All those things. Just prove to people that I’m not just a hitter.”
Along with the good defense and timely hitting, McCarter was delighted with the work of his bullpen. Brady Moffitt pitched a perfect sixth inning before handing it over to Miner for a 1-2-3 seventh. More importantly, they threw strikes; Moffitt had eight on 11 pitches and Miner had seven on nine.
With Houston’s postseason beginning next week, McCarter said he liked the way his relievers performed in a tight situation against a good ball club. They’ll have a chance to do it again on Monday when Houston travels to Giacosa Field at 6 p.m. for the second game of the series.
“It’s so important because it’s a different mindset,” he said. “You’re hanging out over there eating sunflower seeds and the next minute you’re in there with a runner on second and two outs and the game on the line. It’s a tough spot but you’ve got to put them in it and that’s why we play games like this late in the season.
“We put them in those spots and see how they can handl... Click here to read full article
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