Cherokee Trail dominates DH

 

On a scorching Colorado Saturday, Mullen ran into an even hotter Cherokee Trail.

And the Mustangs, despite putting up fights early in both ends of a Centennial League doubleheader, ultimately got burned.

The Cougars, viewed as one of the teams to beat in Class 5A, won the first game 18-0 in six innings and followed with a 14-3 decision in five in the second game.

Now 1-5 in 2020, the 4A Mustangs are finding life in the big-school league difficult, and why not? The Centennial is considered to have at least two other teams that figure to be major players once the postseason arrives.

Plus, veteran coach and first-year Mullen boss Dave Atencio realizes his team has work to do and steps to climb.

“It’s a work in progress,” he said. “It is. It’s rough to play in this elite league and the talent difference is tough.”

Saturday’s games displayed some mirror images, particularly the difference in runs scored from start to finish. In the opener, the Cougars (5-1) led 1-0 heading into the top of the fifth. They promptly plated eight runs and added nine in the sixth. In the second game, Mullen led 2-0 through three innings only to have Cherokee Trail put up 10 in the fourth and four in the fifth.

“In the first half of both games,” Atencio said, “we were in them, but it snowballs.”

Mullen sophomore pitcher and starter Morgan Margeson gave way twice to Ona Medina as the Cougars roared to a whopping 32 hits, 15 for extra bases, three for home runs.

For Mullen, Bella Aragon, returning from a broken finger, had two of the team’s six hits in the opener.  In the second game, Elizabeth Brady and Joliana Encinias each had two of Mullen’s nine safeties. Avery Panozzo and Maggie Bertsch had doubles.

Atencio said his team isn’t discouraged.

“I think they’re still trying their best, I like the effort,” he said of his players. “Even late in the game, they were still talking, saying ‘We’re going to this base’ and so forth …

“As a coach, that’s what you want to hear, where the coach is not necessarily telling you what to do, and that’s what you want to hear.”

 

Cherokee Trail – Krei 3b 5-3-3-2, Scott cf 4-2-3-2, Cruz 2b 4-2-1-2, Medhus p 4-2-3-4, Cushenbery 1b 2-0-1-1, J. Fullmer c 2-2-1-1, Bell ss 3-2-2-1, Martinez lf 4-2-3-1, Pryor rf 3-2-0-0, Krob cr 0-1-0-0, Rupeka p 0-0-0-0, A. Fullmer p 0-0-0-0. Totals 35-18-18-16.

Mullen – Panozzo c 4-0-0-0, Aragon rf 3-0-2-0, Mag. Bertsch 3b 2-0-0-0, Hurtado 1b 3-0-0-0, Brady 2b 3-0-1-0, Medina ss-p 3-0-1-0, Encinias cr 0-0-0-0, Mad. Bertsch 2-0-0-0, Margeson p 0-0-0-0, Gutierrez ph 1-0-1-0, Walters lf 3-0-1-0. Totals 25-0-6-0.

SAC – Scott, Cruz, Bell. SB – Medina. LOB – Cherokee Trail 5, Mullen 11.

2B – Scott, Cruz, Bell, Medhus, Fullmer. HR – Krei, Medhus.

W – Medhus. L – Margeson. Batteries -- Medhus, Rupeka (5), A. Fuller (6) and J. Fullmer ; Margeson, Medina (5) and Panozzo. HBP – Medhus (by Margeson); Margeson (by Medhus).

 

Cherokee Trail – Krei 3b 4-0-0-0,  Scott cf 3-2-2-1, Cruz 2b 4-3-3-3, Medhus p 3-3-2-2, Cushenbery c 3-0-2-2, J. Fullmer ph 1-0-1-2, Bell ss 4-1-2-0, Martinez lf 3-0-1-2, Rupeka 1b 2-1-0-0, Krob rf 1-1-0-1, Lightner ph 1-1-1-0, Pryor cr 0-1-0-0. Totals 29-14-14-13.

Mullen  --  Aragon cf 2-1-1-0, Walters lf 1-0-0-0, Panozzo c 3-0-1-1, Brady 2b 3-0-2-1, Medina ss-p 2-0-0-0, Margeson p 1-0-0-0, Encinias 2b 2-0-2-1, Hurtado 1b 3-0-1-0, Mag. Bertsch 3b 2-0-1-0, Mad. Bertsch cf 2-1-1-0, Gutierrez cr 0-1-0-0. Totals 21-3-9-3.

SAC – Walters. DB – Scott, Cruz. LOB – Cherokee Trail 4, Mullen 7.

2B – Panozzo, Mag. Bertsch, Scott, Bell, Cruz, Lightner. HR – Medhus.

W – Medhus. L – Margeson. Batteries -- Medhus, Lightner (5) and Cushenbery; Margeson, Medina (4) and Panozzo. WP – Medhus. HBP – Lightner (by Margeson).