Muhal saves 'Stangs ... late
Senior reliever puts out Cherokee Trail fire, Mullen wins a wild one 6-5 to improve to 3-2; Brickley has strong start.
AURORA – The collective sigh of relief possibly heard throughout the Denver-metropolitan area at about 6:30 p.m. on Monday night came from a southeastern corner courtesy of the Mullen Mustangs.
Thanks to a closer effort pushed to the limit and turned in by Kyle Muhal, the Mustangs escaped previously undefeated Cherokee Trail 6-5 in a Centennial League thriller that left chewed finger nails in the bleachers and several adults somewhat deeper into their years at the conclusion.
“It makes you old,” Mustangs head coach Nick Arcuri said.
In moving to 3-2 overall and in league, Mullen, which was listless against the Cougars (5-1, 4-1) on Saturday morning, displayed the life and effort Arcuri craves.
“It was a character game, one we needed,” the coach said.
Mullen trailed 1-0 after two innings and gradually built leads of 2-1, 4-1 and 6-3.heading into the bottom of the seventh inning. The Cougars got to Henry Shellhorn, who relieved starter and winner Chase Brickley, for three singles, a walk, a wild pitch and a sacrifice fly.
Enter Muhal, who promptly hit his first batter to load the bases with one out and the Mustangs desperately trying to protect a one-run lead.
“You know,” he said, “it was quite nerve-wracking, just trying to get into my Zen mode and do my best to shut it down.”
He did … but not before making it interesting. He struck out the next Cougar looking, but went to a 3-0 count on the next.
“I threw that third ball and just had to step off and gather myself,” Muhal said.
He responded by throwing three straight strikes to seal it.
“It’s what I’ve dreamt for,” he added. “I haven’t been put in a situation like that in quite a while or, honestly, never. It was kind of cool to see how I do with my team on the ropes.”
Offensively, it was a spread-out effort for Mullen. Andres Terrones-Garcia had two of the team’s seven hits, including its lone extra-base rap, a double. He also scored a run. Sage Hurley, Ben Krza, Andrew Brady, Henry Stewart and Trevor Moore added safeties. Brady scored twice and Krza, Stewart, Colin MacKenzie and Moore drove home runs with the Mustangs’ game-winner coming in the seventh on a wild pitch.
Mullen added four stolen bases.
“This will propel us,” Arcuri said.
The Mustangs will be at Arapahoe on Wednesday, May 19, 4:15.
MULLEN 6, CHEROKEE TRAIL 5
Mullen 002 210 1 -- 6 7 0
Cherokee Trail 010 020 2 -- 5 10 2
Mullen batting – Sage Hurley 2-1-1-0, Ben Krza 3-1-1-1, Andres Terrones-Garcia 3-1-2-0, Andrew Brady 3-2-1-0, Henry Stewart 4-0-1-1, Colin MacKenzie 3-0-0-1, Trevor Moore 4-1-1-1, Luca Maffoni 2-0-0-0, Owen Marsh 2-0-0-0. Totals 26-6-7-4.
2B – Andres Terrones-Garcia.
HBP – Andrew Brady.
SB – Andrew Brady, Ben Krza, Colin MacKenzie, Trevor Moore.
Pitching – Chase Brickley 6 IP, 3 R, 3 ER, 7 H, 1 BB, 6 Ks; Henry Shellhorn 0.1 IP, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 H, 1 BB, 0 Ks; Kyle Muhal 0.2 IP, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 H, 0 BB, 2 Ks.
W – Brickley.
S – Muhal.
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