Roundup: Mini-skids continue for softball, volleyball

The hard lessons continued for a younger Mullen softball team on Wednesday in an 18-6 pasting by Cherokee Trail in Aurora in the Centennial League.

Colorado runners-up a year ago, the Class 5A Cougars belted a whopping six home runs in climbing to 9-6 overall, 2-0 in league. Mullen fell to 3-10, 0-3.

“On the positive side, we hit the ball well,” Mustangs coach Alan Colglazier said. “But (the Cougars) hit it out and we hit line drives.”

Cherokee Trail pounded out 18 hits and had a 10-run third inning after the Mustangs had climbed within 6-4.

The Mustangs will be back at it on Thursday, Sept. 26, against Arapahoe in league, first pitch at 4 p.m.

“You have to handle it,” Colglazier said of his team’s growing pains. “Eventually, we have to grow up sooner than later and we hope to do it this year. We just need to keep at it, keep moving forward.”

In volleyball, Mullen’s streaky season continued the past two nights.

On Tuesday, the Mustangs went down to host Cherokee Trail in Aurora 25-18, 25-12, 25-14 in the Centennial and on Wednesday dropped a close one to Arapahoe 25-23, 25-23, 25-18 at home at Hutchison Fieldhouse.

The Mustangs are 6-7 overall, 0-4 in league and have hit the skids since beginning 5-0. They were 1-3 in the Silver Creek Tournament and have followed with four straight league setbacks. All but one of the team’s losses have come via sweeps.

Idle until Thursday, Oct. 3, Mullen will resume play at Grandview in Aurora, 6:30 p.m.