Kingwood Mustangs 5, Strake Jesuit Crusaders 3 (14 innings)  - May 11, 2023 @ Strake Jesuit

The Kingwood Mustangs opened round two of the 2023 6A playoffs Thursday night at Strake Jesuit with Josh Pelfrey on the bump.  The Crusaders countered with John Toney.

Brian Schumacher led off the game with a single and moved to second on a passed ball before Braelon Richardson's sacrifice bunt got him over to third.  Caden Wellmann knocked in the first run of the game with a single to give Kingwood an early 1-0 lead.  Wellmann stole second and Braden Fuentes walked to give a chance to add to the early tally but were stranded there with a fly out to center.  Jesuit wasted little time getting the run back however as their leadoff hitter walked and raced to third on a single to right.  A sac fly to right plated that runner and tied the game at 1.  Liam O'Leary threw out an attempted steal by a few steps to record out number two before a groundout to Richardson at short ended the frame at 1-1.

Sammy Soto walked to lead off the second for the Mustangs but a strikeout and a bunt attempted popped up to third left him at first with two outs.  Schumacher's second hit in as many innings, a single through the hole on the left side, put two runners on but as they were in the first inning, they were both stranded there.  The Crusaders leadoff hitter reached on a throwing error and scored two batters later on a two-run home run to left.  Kingwood got the second out on a pop up bunt to Pelfrey before a triple to right centerfield.  But Pelfrey recorded his first strikeout of the game to keep the score at 3-1 in favor of Jesuit.

Wellmann opened the top of the third with a home run to left to close the gap to 3-2.  Josh Arquette singled to left and advanced on Ty Boatright's sacrifice bunt to the pitcher.  Unfortunately, Arquette was stranded there for the fifth in three innings for the Mustangs.  Pelfrey made quick work of the Crusaders in their half of the third with a groundout to Richardson at short, another to Wellmann at second, a hit by pitch and his second strikeout to keep it a 3-2 contest.

The Mustangs were retired in order in the fourth with a couple of groundouts and a foul out to right field.  The Crusaders threatened to add to their run count in the bottom of the inning with the aid of three walks, but a fielder's choice groundout retired the side and kept that from happening.

Again the Mustangs were retired in order in the fifth, all three on ground balls to the shortstop.  After Pelfrey got a groundout to short as well and a strikeout, Jesuit's next hitter singled to left and moved to second on another hit to left to give them two runners.  Kingwood escaped the jam when Arquette fielded a slow roller near the mound and threw a strike to Soto at first to leave the score at 3-2.

After a groundout to short, Soto walked for the second time in the game and was replaced by pinch runner Matthew Estes.  Estes raced to third on O'Leary's single to left centerfield.  Heads up base running allowed O'Leary to hustle in to second on the throw, giving the Mustangs two runners in scoring position with only one out.  Dylan Key entered as courtesy runner for O'Leary before Caden Callaway's bunt down the third base line wasn't fielder in time, loading the bases for Kingwood.  Dominic Botard entered as the new pitcher for Jesuit.  The first batter he faced was Schumacher, who grounded to second but the flip to the shortstop covering the bag was dropped, leaving everyone safe and Estes scoring the tying run.  Richardson hit a ball up the middle that looked like it would plate the go-ahead run but the shortstop made an incredible play, throwing against his body moving towards first base to retire the runner at home on the force play.  A strikeout left the bases loaded and kept the game tied at 3.  Pelfrey forced a groundout and recorded another strikeout to go with a walk before hitting his pitch count limit.  Logan Harris entered and got a fly out to center to close out the sixth.

With one last chance to score in regulation, the Mustangs were retired in order.  Harris got a strikeout to start the inning, with the help of O'Leary's throw to Soto to complete the out.  He struck out the second batter as well before a little bit of drama.  A walked gave the Crusaders life with two outs.  A ground ball to short seemed to have ended the inning but the umpire at first ruled the runner safe and the game continued.  Unbothered, Harris instead recorded his third strikeout of the inning to force extras.

Soto opened the eighth getting hit by a pitch and moved to second on O'Leary's sac bunt back to the pitcher.  He moved to third on Callaway's groundout to second before Schumacher was intentionally walked.  Schumacher stole second to put two runners in scoring position but a strikeout ended the rally.  Harris again punched out three in the inning, this time in order, giving him six strikeouts in his seven outs in the game.

Wellmann led off the ninth with an infield single to deep short but was left there as the next three hitters were retired.  Harris continued to be dominant, posting two more strikeouts to go with a pop up to second, sending the game to the tenth.

The Mustang bats seemed to catch the same virus, with all three striking out in the inning to keep things moving to the bottom of the tenth.    After a leadoff strikeout for Harris, an infield single to second and a bloop single to center gave the Crusaders two runners on with only out.  In front of a rejuvenated home crowd, Harris quieted them back down with consecutive strikeouts to end the threat and send the game on to the twelfth inning.

Kingwood's bats remained in hibernation, again going down in order, needing their pitching to keep them in the game.  The Crusaders leadoff hitter reached on an infield single to short on yet another play that looked like he was out at first.  The next hitter poppd up a bunt that wasn't caught but allowed Harris to fire to Richardson to get the out at second.  A sharp grounder to Soto at first started a 3-6-3 double play to clean the bags and keep the score at 3-3 into the thirteenth inning.

Jesuit brought on their fourth pitcher of the night to face the Mustangs.  He promptly walked O'Leary, who was run for by Key.  Callaway's sac bunt moved Key to second but a pair of outs prevented a score.  Jesuit's lead off lifted a pop fly that fell between the two outfielders behind shortstop but a popped up bunt that O'Leary snagged and a Wellmann to Richardson to Soto double play ended things there.

In the fourteenth inning, with one out Arquette singled up the middle.  Fuentes hit an absolute rocket at the shortstop that he couldn't glove, allowing him to get to second and moving Arquette to third.  After a strikeout for out number two, the Crusaders envisioned getting out of the trouble but Soto squashed that with a line drive single to right center, plating both Arquette and Fuentes.  Not quite done yet, O'Leary followed with a hard ground ball through the right side for a single.  Soto and Key, in as a courtesy runner, both advanced ninety feet on a passed ball but a strikeout closed out the inning.  Going into the bottom of the fourteenth, the Mustangs were looking to protect their two run lead.  Jesuit's leadoff hitter was hit by a pitch as Harris was the second Kingwood pitcher in the game to max his pitch count.  Wesley Lawson was brought in from the bullpen in a tense situation, with the tying run at the plate.  Lawson quickly induced a groundout to Richardson for out one.  On a borderline call that could have gone either one and left one stands upset, the Mustangs got the benefit of strike three on a full count pitch at the knees for out number two.  Needing only one out to finish things off, the Jesuit hit a deep blast to center that Boatright was able to track down for out number three, giving the Mustangs a very hard fought victory over the Crusaders.

I doubt anyone that showed up to watch the game expected to see the equivalent of two full games, with not one but two Kingwood pitchers throwing their allowed pitch count.  Every Mustangs player that stepped on the field contributed in some way, whether at the plate, in the field or both.  The game was truly a team win if ever there was one.

Pelfrey went 5 2/3 innings, recording 5 strikeouts.  Harris, with the win, threw 7 1/3 with 11 strikeouts.  Lawson recorded his first save of the season, going one inning with one strikeout.

The Mustangs have  now won 15 straight games and 19 of their last 20 overall. 

The second round of the playoffs continues Friday night at Andy Wells Field in Kingwood at 7pm. 

Kingwood Mustangs
Overall record:   25-7-3
District record:   13-1
Playoff record:       3-0