ST. HELENA — The Middletown Mustangs softball team fell to the St. Helena Saints in a high-scoring, mistake-filled North Central League I contest Friday.
The teams combined for 17 unearned runs in what ended up as a 16-14 win for St. Helena (1-2 in league).
The Saints jumped out to an 8-1 lead in the second inning, but the Mustangs regained the advantage after a 10-run top of the third.
However, St. Helena scored eight runs in the bottom half and led 16-11 after three innings.
Middletown battled back and had the tying run at the plate in the final inning.
Junior Kristiana Outen launched a pitch over the fence for an apparent game-tying home run, but the hit was nullified because the umpire called “no pitch,” believing the St. Helena hurler tried to “quick pitch” the Middletown batter, according to Mustangs coach Bob Cummesky.
Outen popped out later in the at-bat, and Middletown (0-2 in league, 3-8 overall) ultimately failed to tie the game.
In total, the Saints scored 16 runs on just four hits; the Mustangs committed nine errors, walked 13 hitters and hit three batters with pitches.
Middletown had 16 hits and benefited from four St. Helena errors.
