Mustangs 15th for regionals

Mullen softball will be heading south on Saturday and not just because of the probability of warmer weather.

The Mustangs will be one of four teams in the Class 4A Region 8 field, a double-elimination outlay in which two qualifiers will advance to the state tournament. Thirty-teams are in regionals and 16 will advance.

Host Pueblo West, seeded second in the field, Silver Creek (18) and Palmer Ridge (31) join the Mustangs (15) in the four-team bracket.

“That’s a good group, good pairings and good teams,” Mustangs head coach Greg Hogan said.

Hogan knows a bit about Pueblo West, which Mullen downed 4-3 in the Erie Tournament on Sept. 1, and said Silver Creek plays in a very demanding Northern League.

And the postseason is where the Mustangs feel they own an advantage, potentially a large one – they are the only 4A team in the 5A-dominated Centennial League, so facing strong competition serves as much-needed preparation not available to every team.

“Our schedule and our league give us an advantage, so here’s where our character shows up,” Hogan said.

The Mustangs ended the regular season by winning five of their past six games and were 4-3 min the Centennial after going undefated as league champion a year ago.

They were to have a regular day of weightlifting on Monday, slated to practice in the school’s indoor facility on Tuesday, then hoped to be outside for practice on Wednesday.

Below is the complete 4A schedule, seeds and records in parenthesis, best seed in groups to serve as host; top two teams advance to state; all First-Round games at 10 a.m., all Game 3s and 4s at 12:15 p.m.; Game 5s, Championship Games, at 2:30 p.m.

 

Region 1

(32) Mesa Ridge (13-6) vs. (1) Valor Christian (19-0)

(17) Cheyenne Mountain (16-3) vs. 16) Mountain View (16-2-1)

 

Region 2

(25) Pueblo East (9-10) vs. (8) Frederick (13-6)

(24) Ponderosa (8-10-1) vs. (9) Rifle (15-4)

 

Region 3

(28) George Washington (13-5) vs. (5) Erie (14-5)

(21) Wheat Ridge (9-10) vs. (12) Holy Family (14-4)

 

Region 4

(29) Montrose (9-10) vs. (4) Discovery Canyon (14-4-1)

(20) Pueblo County (13-6) vs. (13) Berthoud (12-7)

 

Region 5

(30) Roosevelt (7-12) vs. (3) Golden (16-3)

(19) Air Academy (12-7) vs. (14) D’Evelyn (13-6)

 

Region 6

(27) Mead (10-9) vs. (6) Pueblo Central (15-4)

22) Elizabeth (15-4) vs. (11) Pueblo South (14-5)

 

Region 7

(26) Longmont (11-8) vs. (7) Thomas Jefferson (17-2)

(23) Windsor (10-9) vs. (10) Conifer (16-3)

 

Region 8

(31) Palmer Ridge (12-6) vs. (2) Pueblo West (14-2)

(18) Silver Creek (14-4-1) vs. (15) MULLEN (12-7)