Piner breaks up M'town win streak

Mustangs fall 9-2, play for league championship Tuesday

SANTA ROSA >> The Middletown Mustangs had their eight-game winning streak snapped Saturday in Santa Rosa, but a 9-2 non-league varsity baseball loss to the Piner Prospectors was merely the deep breath before the plunge, which is Tuesday's big road trip to St. Helena.

Middletown (13-10) takes a 12-1 league record into its North Central League I finale Tuesday against St. Helena (10-1), needing a victory to wrap up an undisputed championship in head coach Tyler Holt's first season as varsity skipper.

“We wanted to win the game, but our bats weren't there from the beginning,” Holt said of Saturday's action.

The 11:30 a.m. start meant that the Mustangs had to leave for Sonoma County early, which didn't help matters.

“We were half asleep when we got there,” Holt said.

And Middletown had no margin for error, suiting up only 10 for the game. A handful of players were involved in school-related activities and unable to attend while others were away on Mother's Day-related business, according to Holt.

“We'll be back to full strength for Tuesday,” Holt said.

Middletown scored a run in the top of the first only to watch Piner answer with four runs in the bottom half. The Prospectors (4-20) pushed their lead to 7-1 in the second. The Mustangs made it 7-2 on Cole Ketchum's RBI single in the top of the third, one of Middletown's two hits on the day. Piner capped the scoring with two runs in the sixth.

The Mustangs also held back their best pitching, saving it for the Saints. Bryan Riel drew the start and worked 4 2/3 innings before giving way to relievers Hunter Hartzog and Zach Dubois, who finished up.

Besides Ketchum, Noah Williams (1-for-3) had the only other Middletown hit although the Mustangs made a number of loud outs, according to Holt.

“Their right fielder was quick and their left fielder was smart,” Holt said. “Their right fielder was just everywhere, he was so quick. He made catches guys we play against (in our league) wouldn't have made. Their shortstop also was pretty quick.”

Middletown's game in St. Helena on Tuesday marks the second league meeting between the two teams this season. The Mustangs won the first, 7-6, April 14 at Wes Martin Field. While a Middletown victory Tuesday ends the league race, all is not necessarily lost for the Mustangs should St. Helena win. That's because the Saints still have to play Fort Bragg (7-4) in a doubleheader Friday in Fort Bragg, creating a scenario where the Mustangs could either win the title outright (if Fort Bragg sweeps) or earn a co-championship (if the two teams split).

But it doesn't matter if the Mustangs win Tuesday. If they do, the title is theirs … all theirs.