MIDDLETOWN — Playing their fourth game in six days, the Middletown Mustangs needed starting pitcher Devin Nordin to crunch some innings Tuesday against the Kelseyville Knights in a North Central League I North varsity baseball contest at Wes Martin Field.
On all counts, Nordin gave Middletown head coach Mitch Tucker more than he was looking for as the Mustangs hurt Kelseyville”s title hopes with a 5-2 victory.
“I needed him to go deep into the game and he did that,” Tucker said of his senior, who expended 128 pitches during a complete-game effort.
Nordin also struck out a career-best 14 batters.
“He didn”t get behind many hitters and he was getting his curveball over for strikes,” Tucker said. “He even threw the curve on 3-2 counts a couple of times. Devin stepped up and did what a senior needs to do.”
Middletown improved to 4-3 in the North standings and 13-9 overall. Kelseyville dropped to 5-2 and 15-7. Fort Bragg (6-0) clinched a tie for the title because of the Knights” loss and can wrap up the undisputed championship with a victory Thursday in Willits. Kelseyville travels to Fort Bragg on Friday.
“We put a big wrench in Kelseyville”s plans,” Tucker said. “Overall we just played well.”
Johnny Harmyk”s two-run double in the bottom of the first off losing pitcher Justin Lilly put Middletown ahead to stay at 2-0. Harmyk also doubled home the first of two Mustang runs in the third inning. Zach Strickler”s RBI groundout made it 4-0.
Middletown had a 5-0 lead before Kelseyville finally broke up Nordin”s shutout in the top of the fifth. The Knights added another run in the seventh.
Harmyk, Eric Tomko and John Hays each had two hits for the Mustangs, who close out their league and regular-season schedules today at home against Lower Lake.
Lilly worked the first 3 1/3 innings before giving way to Mike Duman, who pitched the final 3 2/3.
