MIDDLETOWN >> Given numerous opportunities to break the game open, the visiting Piner Prospectors finally cashed in against the Middletown Mustangs on Tuesday afternoon, winning 16-1 in a non-league softball game called after six innings because of the 10-run mercy rule.
Piner took a 5-1 lead into the top of the sixth inning before pulling away with a four-run top of the fifth inning and a seven-run sixth. Fueling both rallies were a plentiful number of bases on balls and some well-timed hits.
Losing pitcher Makaili Brown struggled to find the strike zone all day and ended up issuing 17 walks during her complete-game performance. In all, the Prospectors had no shortage of baserunners as they also pounded out 13 hits.
Jessica Zell (1-for-3) knocked in Middletown’s lone run, that in the bottom of the third to cut Piner’s lead at the time to 4-1. Aly Ferguson (3-for-3) and Megan Perry (1-for-2) had the Mustangs’ other hits.
Middletown returns to action Saturday at American Canyon.
