Mustangs topped 12-2 by Columbine

The grind and gauntlet that is the Mullen softball schedule continued on Saturday morning against another top-flight team.

The Class 4A Mustangs were handled 12-2 by visiting 5A Columbine, which improved to 9-0, in nonleague play at Santo “Doc” Scavuzzo Field and the lessons kept coming.

Now 2-6, Mullen used two pitchers and never led, but the learning experience remained relevant.

“It’s like I told the girls,” second-year Mustangs head coach Alan Colglazier said, “it was a tough day all around. It was tough on the coaches, it was tough on the girls, but we can’t feel sorry for ourselves. That won’t get the job done.”

The coach added that he “had a good friend coach with the Arizona Cardinals and their star quarterback went down. And he told them, “Next man up.’ That’s the philosophy we have to have.”

The Mustangs were coming off their first two victories, 13-2 over Ralston Valley and 17-1 against Pine Creek, both in the Erie Tournament, but Columbine struck early and often, mostly behind pitcher and leadoff hitter Korbe Otis. At the plate, she reached base five times in six appearances, walked to open the game and promptly stole two bases before scoring, and later doubled. As for pitching, she didn’t give up a hit until the sixth inning and fanned 12 Mustangs.

For Mullen, Bella Argon singled twice. Bella Hawkins and Emma DiGiacomo added safeties.

This week, the Mustangs will be at Horizon in Thornton on Tuesday, then head to Bixby, Okla., for three games on Friday and two on Saturday.

“We have to move on and get better,” Colglazier said. “It’s going to be a grind, absolutely, but anything in life that’s worthwhile is hard.”

 

Columbine – Otis p 3-2-1-0, N. Ogden rf 2-2-0-1, McLean rf 0-1-0-1, Stern 3b 2-2-1-1, Baca 3b 2-1-0-0, Todd 1b 4-1-1-1, Distler c 2-0-1-1, Cummings 2b 4-0-2-2, Kitch lf 4-0-0-0, Waldrop cf 2-1-1-0, Marshall cr-cf 2-1-2-0, Burkey ss 5-1-3-0. Totals 33-12-12-5.

Mullen – DiGiacomo 2b 3-1-1-0, Panozzo c 2-0-0-0, Mag. Bertsch 3b 3-0-0-0, Mad. Bertsch 1b-lf 3-0-0-0, Hawkins ss 2-0-1-0, Hurtado rf 3-0-0-0, Brady p-1b 3-0-0-0, Aragon cf 3-1-2-0, Encinias rf 0-0-0-0, Margeson p 3-0-0-0. Totals 25-2-4-0.

E – Panozzo, Brady. SB – Otis 2. N. Ogden. CS – Kistler, Otis.

2B – Otis, Cummings, Marshall. 3B – Marshall.

Batteries – Otis and Distler; Brady, Margeson (2) and Panozzo. W – Otis. L – Brady. HBP – Waldrop (by Margeson). WP – Brady 2, Otis. PB – Distler. SF – Distler. T – 1:53.