MIDDLETOWN — Led by seniors Pailey Shook and Jaidyn Brown, the Middletown Mustangs beat the Willits Wolverines 17-7 in six innings on Monday during North Central League I softball action in Middletown. The game was called early because of the 10-run mercy rule.
Shook (2-for-5) tripled twice, drove in three runs and scored twice as the Mustangs improved to 4-8 in the league standings and 5-8 overall. Brown, playing in her final high school game because of the knee surgery she’ll have Tuesday morning to repair an injury sustained during basketball season, went 2-for-5 with a triple and two RBIs. Another senior, Cadence Henry, went 1-for-4 with three RBIs and three runs scored.
Middletown took control of the game with an eight-run bottom of the first and led 10-0 after two innings. Willits (0-11) climbed back into the game with a seven-run third inning, chasing Mustangs starter Shaylyn Sims from the game. Brooklyn Wood relieved and pitched the final four innings for the win, allowing Willits’ only two hits and two runs (one earned) while striking out five and walking one.
The Mustangs answered Willits’ seven-run outburst with single runs in the third and fourth innings and ended the game with a five-run sixth.
Sims went 1-for-1 with a double and a walk and drove in a run for the Mustangs. Carina Fleenor and Melanie Gerst also drove in runs.
Middletown hits the road Tuesday to play Willits again at 4 p.m.
