This year’s baseball team has continued to follow the blueprint of success put out by the past Mustang baseball teams. We have seen lights-out performances on the mound and a lineup that can put up runs in a hurry. Our Mustangs have league leaders in batting average, home runs, slugging percentage, runs batted in, runs, on base percentage, stolen bases, earned run average, strikeouts, and wins. If that is not enough to impress you, I do not know what will.

Before the game against Cy Lakes on Saturday, Apr. 11, the Mustang baseball team had yet to drop a district match and only had two losses over the course of the season. Lakes, meanwhile, had only two wins in district to their name.

The Spartans were much like the other teams we’ve faced in that you could see the fear instilled in their eyes each time they had to face the boys in blue. An abysmal season did not help improve their morale heading into Saturday afternoon’s game.

Despite dire weather predictions, the show went on. First pitch was thrown at the scheduled time and the contest began. This game’s first three frames saw both teams unable to cash in on the numerous base runners.

In the bottom of the fourth, Cy Lakes was the first team to cross home plate. A wild pitch by junior Collin Rock led to a run for the home team. As the inning continued, rain started to pelt the players’ hats and helmets. Rules state that five innings must be completed in order for the game to end due to inclement weather, so the teams played on. Ranch and Lakes were then both unable to score in the fifth.

Umpires then decided to make the executive decision to call the game off after the fifth. It was painful to watch the team walk out of the dugout, knowing that they had been removed from the ranks of the undefeated. Had the game seen two more innings, we would have for sure seen our fellow classmates walk off the diamond with an 11-0 district record.

This single loss barely hurt the Mustangs in term of playoffs though, as they still hold first place by two games.