"Stangs fall in another late one

 

AURORA -- It happened again.

Mullen softball couldn’t protect a lead and lost late in a one-run game.

A week after falling to Cherry Creek in their season opener in the seventh inning, the Mustangs dropped a 2-1 decision on Monday at Grandview in the Centennial League.

It wasn’t a carbon copy of the 4-3 loss at home to Cherry Creek, but the similarities were there. Mullen had a lot of moments of playing well, sophomore Morgan Margeson pitched out of trouble multiple times, the Mustangs defense turned in some plays and they were able to scratch out a run in the top of the eighth to take a lead.

However, failure to come up with a couple of plays in the field, making three errors and managing just three hits hurt.

The Mustangs aren’t closing, head coach Dave Atencio said.

“It was a tough one,” he said. “We’re now two games in, one-run games where we gave it up at the end, so we have to learn how to close games out. We’re battling strong, but need to close them out.”

Scoreless until the eighth, the Mustangs broke through on an Avery Panozzo double – her second of the game – a sacrifice bunt by freshman Avery Walters and a wild pitch that plated courtesy runner Bella Aragon. There also was a key, 10-pitch at-bat that Maggie Bertsch turned into a walk.

But Grandview (1-2 overall and in league) quickly responded. A single to center field followed by two bunts, one of them perfectly placed on the left side; the other misplayed by the Mustangs into a hit, loaded the bases. An infield throwing error resulted in a 1-1 game before another single to center ended it.

“Defensively,” Atencio said, “We have to learn to make the plays to close it.”

Grandview sophomore pitcher Makayla Valle was strong throughout and fanned 12 Mustangs, including eight in a row into the third after Panozzo opened the gamer with her first double. But Atencio liked noting that the Mustangs battled her “and we made the adjustments. We put the ball in play and that’s all you can ask for.”

Panozzo also walked, Maggie Bertsch reached base twice and Lucia Hurtado added a single. On defense, Madelyn Bertsch made a diving catch in center to end the fourth.

“We’ll be working on the little things,” Atencio said. “We have to finish.”

 

Mullen – Panozzo c 3-0-2-0, Aragon cr 0-1-0-0, Walters lf 2-0-0-0, Mag. Bertsch 3b 2-0-0-0, Hurtado 1b 4-0-1-0, Brady 2b 3-0-0-0, Medina ss 3-0-0-0, Mad. Bertsch cf 3-0-0-0, Margeson p 3-0-0-0, Encinias rf 2-0-0-0, Gutierrez ph 1-0-0-0. Totals 26-1-3-0.

Grandview – Allen 2b 4-0-2-1, Herting 1b 3-0-0-0, Valle p 3-0-0-0, Robinson ss 3-0-1-0, Walker 3b 4-0-0-0, Ferrier rf 4-1-1-0, Weiland c 4-1-3-0, Brooks lf 3-0-1-0, Castonguay cf 4-0-0-0. Totals 32-2-8-1.

E – Brady, Margeson, Walker 2, Medina. LOB – Mullen 5, Grandview 13., SAC – Walters 2. SB – Weiland.

2B – Panozzo 2.

Batteries – Margeson and Panozzo; . W -- Valle. L – Margeson (0-2). HBP – Mag. Bertsch (by Valle). WP – Valle. T – 2:20.