MIDDLETOWN — The Middletown Mustangs rallied from a 5-2 deficit to beat the Lower Lake Trojans 6-5 in extra innings Monday afternoon, scoring on a bases-loaded fielder’s choice with two outs in the bottom of the eighth to win the North Central League I softball thriller at Middletown.
“It was exciting,” Middletown head coach Bob Gunion said of the come-from-behind win for his Mustangs (4-5 league, 5-9 overall). “We were down 5-2 in the fifth inning and tied it up.”
Winning pitcher Shaylynn Sims tripled home the final run of Middletown’s three-run rally in the bottom of the fifth to knot the score and she went on to score the winning run in the eighth after drawing a leadoff walk. Harper Moreno singled her over to second before losing pitcher Jessica Hernandez (12 strikeouts) struck out each of the next two Middletown hitters. An intentional walk to Mustangs leadoff hitter Jaidyn Brown (2-for-4), who doubled and tripled earlier in the game, loaded the bases for Gracie Wagner. Hernandez worked the count full before Wagner hit a grounder to shortstop. A low throw to third base wasn’t in time to force Moreno, who beat the ball to the bag as Sims crossed the plate with the winning run.
“It was a bang-bang play,” Lower Lake assistant coach Jeremy Mock said. “The play could have gone either way but she (third baseman) bobbled the ball. I’m pretty sure it was the right call.”
Middletown overcame nine errors to win the game.
“We made three in the second inning, three in the fourth,” Gunion said. “It hurt us, but at least we didn’t make six or seven in the same inning. We were able to overcome it.”
“For us six unforced outs running the bases … that’s what kill us,” Mock said.
Gunion said Sims’ pitching made all the difference even though her defense didn’t help out the junior as much as it could have, according to Gunion.
“Consistent pitching by Shay,” Gunion said. “She struck out only five but only walked three.”
Both teams had nine hits. Sims and Brown had two hits apiece for Middletown while Becca Theodorou and Alaina Barnes had two hits each for Lower Lake (2-6, 3-7).
The Trojans had a 3-1 lead after two innings and a 5-2 lead through four innings.
Gunion said the Mustangs had a built-in rooting section of sorts as their junior varsity players, who didn’t have a game Monday, cheered on the varsity.
“It helped us out, it gave us a boost,” Gunion said.
Both teams were back in action Tuesday as Lower Lake hosted Fort Bragg and Middletown visited Clear Lake. The Trojans play again Wednesday in St. Helena.
