’STANGS HANDLE CARDINALS 14-3
Aden connects again for Middletown, Crudo goes 4-for-4 to back Green's pitching
MIDDLETOWN >> If you’re going to pitch to Middletown High School’s Will Aden, do so at your own risk.
The senior slugger launched another moonshot in the bottom of the first inning, his two-run home setting the tone for the Mustangs’ 14-3 non-league victory over the Clear Lake Cardinals on Friday afternoon at Wes Martin Field.
Aden also hit a towering tworun homer in the bottom of the first during Middletown’s 13-3 season-opening loss to Colusa on Tuesday at Wes Martin Field. His blast on Friday easily cleared the football bleachers in center field and may still be going, according to Middletown head coach Jon Hoogendoorn, who watched his Mustangs square their season record at 1-1.
“It feels good to get that bad taste out of our mouths,” Hoogendoon said of the Colusa loss.
Clear Lake stayed close until the bottom of the fifth when Middletown scored eight times, at which point the 10-run rule came into effect. The Cardinals and Mustangs stuck around to play two more unofficial innings because they needed the work at this early point of the season. When the game umpires left after five innings, volunteers stepped in, including Lake County Sheriff Brian Martin, whose son Matthew plays for the Cardinals.
“I’ve got 14 guys and we need to get our subs out there,” said Hoogendoorn, who along with Clear Lake head coach Ed Pepper agreed to continue after the official game ended, both with an eye toward getting their players, especially their reserves, some live competition.
“Our groups are pretty tight,” Hoogendoorn said of the Middletown and Clear Lake players. “Most of our guys have played with their guys in our travel program.”
Limited to three hits in their season opener against Colusa, the Mustangs pounded out 19 on Friday. Tyler Crudo led the way, going 4-for-4 with two RBIs and four runs, Aden went 3-for-3 with his home run and three RBIs overall, and Tanner Pachie went 3-for-5 with two runs. Justin Urbina, Cole Ketchum and Justin Hollingsworth added doubles.
“We were definitely more aggressive, the guys felt a lot better,” Hoogendoorn said.
Middletown had a 5-0 lead after three innings. Clear Lake closed to 5-2 in the top of the fourth, but the Mustangs got one of those runs back in the bottom of the inning. The Cardinals closed to 6-3 in the fifth.
Winning pitcher Dax Green worked the first four innings for the victory, allowing one earned run, striking out six and walking two. Maddox Albaum started for Clear Lake and took the loss.
Aden, the Mustangs’ cleanup hitter, also drew an intentional walk.
“Protecting him in the lineup is what we need to do,” said Hoogendoorn, who expects other teams to be extremely cautious when pitching to the Mustangs’ slugger.
“He doesn’t miss a whole lot,” Hoogendoorn said.
With no North Coast Section playoffs this season because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Hoogendoorn said he’s more inclined than ever to take chances in nonleague games because there are no postseason implications.
“Win or lose, it doesn’t matter,” he said. “It’s about kids being out there playing.”
Hoogendoorn also had words of encouragement for a mostly young Clear Lake squad.
“They’ve
got
some pieces,” he said of the Cardinals. “I know they’re young, but they’ll come around.”
Jonathan Werner went 2-for-3 with a double, according to the Middletown scorebook. Albaum went 1-for-2 and scored twice.
Clear Lake (0-2) hosts Colusa on Tuesday and Upper Lake on Friday, both games starting at 4 p.m. Middletown is off until Friday when it travels to Colusa for a 4 p.m. game.