MIDDLETOWN — One out away from an 8-6 victory over the Willits Wolverines in the North Central League I softball opener for both teams on Thursday in Middletown, the Mustangs couldn”t seal the deal.
Willits (1-0) scored four times after two were out and the bases empty in the top of the seventh and then held on in the bottom of the inning to stun Middletown 10-9.
“A game we needed to win,” Middletown coach Bob Cummesky said. “Now we”re going to have to beat a team we”re not supposed to beat.”
Renee Edwards, working in relief of starter Kaitlyn Swank, retired the first two Willits batters in the seventh, but back-to-back Middletown errors prolonged the inning and the Wolverines took advantage. Each of the next two hitters connected for RBI singles to knot the score at 8, then Willits catcher Mariah Escobedo blasted a two-run triple to give her team a 10-8 lead.
Middletown nearly won the game in the bottom of the inning. Madi Hicks (3-for-5) singled home a run to make it 10-9 and the Mustangs had the potential tying and winning runs on base with two outs for Jessica Eixenberger, who smacked a shot that appeared to be on its way down the left-field line. Instead, the Willits third baseman gloved the hot shot to end the game.
“It was a foot away from being a game-winning hit,” a frustrated Cummesky said. “She stuck up her glove and the ball found it.”
Middletown twice opened up four-run leads – 6-2 after four innings and 7-3 after five innings – but a total of seven Mustangs errors wiped out the benefits of 16 Middletown hits on the day.
“We made seven errors, we gave up nine unearned runs … you”re not going to win games that way,” Cummesky said. “The first four innings we played good, then we went back to our old habits.”
Willits scored three times in the top of the sixth to make it a 7-6 game although the Mustangs got one of those runs back in the bottom half.
Swank left after 4 2/3 innings and received a no-decision. She allowed five hits, three unearned runs, struck out three and walked three.
Roshell Dunlap went 4-for-5 and scored three times for Middletown. Hicks added three hits, including a triple and two RBI, while Eixenberger, Maria Castaldo and Kristiana Outen had two hits apiece.
Middletown is scheduled to travel to Fort Bragg on Tuesday.
