Marble Falls baseball loses to Lampasas
CAPTION: Marble Falls freshman Crawford Mattox puts the ball in play for a RBI. Staff photo by Jennifer Fierro
The Marble Falls High School baseball team lost to Lampasas 5-2 April 11 in District 24-4A play.
The Badgers (17-4-2, 9-1) took a 1-0 lead in the third inning. But the Mustangs (10-13, 4-4) tied it in the bottom half of the inning.
Sophomore John Alan Whittle was hit by a pitch, then stole second and went to third on a throwing error. A funny bouncer on a hit by freshman Crawford Mattox to the first baseman sent Whittle home.
Lampasas regained the advantage in the fourth inning. The lead-off batter singled and later scored on a wild pitch. A ball that was slowly hit in the infield let the batter beat the throw to first for the 3-1 lead.
The Mustangs scored to trim the deficit to 3-2.
The Badgers hit a RBI single with two outs in the top of the fifth for a 4-2 lead.
Marble Falls had a chance to score from third base on a single, but the runner lost his footing as he was running. That allowed the Badgers the extra seconds to run him down between third and home then throw out the batter at second, who was trying to steal during the rundown. That double play ended the inning.
The Badgers added an insurance run in the sixth.
Lampasas’ Dylan Peak led with 3 singles, while J.T. Posten, Timber Gholson, Peyton Sisson and Cory White each had a RBI. No Badger had a multi-base hit.
Senior pitcher Posten threw a no-hitter while racking up 8 strikeouts and allowing 6 walks resulting in 2 unearned runs in 6 2/3 innings.
“Offensively, we didn’t do much,” Mustangs head coach Tyler Porter said. “(Their) two-out hits and the walks cost us. I know three of their runs came from guys who walked.”
The Badgers adjusted their hitting slightly, resulting in balls being slower to leave their bats. That forced defenders to wait a couple of seconds longer for the ball to get them before they fired to first base. By then the runners were already on base. Lampasas also stole six bases.
Marble Falls junior pitcher Atreyu Machacek allowed 3 earned runs off 4 hits, 3 walks and 3 strikeouts in 3 1/3 innings.
As for the rundown between third and home, Porter said he “got the same read (my player) did.”
“We want them to be aggressive,” he said. “They understood what they needed to do to give us a chance.”
In other district play, Burnet (12-7, 4-5) defeated Jarrell (4-17, 1-6) 15-0 and 12-3 to complete the sweep, while Taylor (5-15-1, 3-5) slipped past Georgetown Gateway (6-13, 0-8) 8-7 and 3-2.
Marble Falls welcomes at Taylor Tuesday, April 15, before going to Taylor Thursday, April 17. Both games begin at 7 p.m.
The Mustangs end the regular season next week in a two-game series against Jarrell.
CAPTION: Marble Falls sophomore John Alan Whittle safely slides head first into third base. Staff photo by Jennifer Fierro
