Mustangs escape EC JV

It took extra innings to determine a victor between El Campo's junior varsity baseball team and Lamar Consolidated Thursday in Rosenberg.

Instead of the usual seven innings, this game was over in nine. The Mustangs escaped with a 3-2 win over a tough El Campo team that was in it the entire game.

Cade Radley made the start for the Ricebirds and struck out two in the first inning. In the bottom of the first, El Campo made the game's first run.

With one out, Waylon Malone hit a single to center field. He stole second base in the next at-bat and avoided the double play on a ground ball to the second baseman. Instead of turning two, the batter was thrown out at first.

Malone showed speed in the fourth at-bat of the inning in rounding third for a run. Chase McClain hit a single and earned an RBI when Malone reached home plate.

The next at-bat was the final out of the inning and the Ricebirds came out on defense with a 1-0 lead.

Lamar Consolidated scored a pair of runs in the third inning after the 'Birds committed a fielding error. The Mustangs took a 2-1 lead, but El Campo came back to tie the game in the sixth inning.

Travis Deiss led off the inning with a single and stole second to move into scoring position.

Malone tried to bring him in, but sent a shot straight to the mound. He was thrown out at first for an out.

With one out, Anthony Cruz came through with a strong hit. He connected for a single to center field and sent Deiss scrambling home. The run tied the game at 2-2.

Cruz later stole second base and moved on to third with a fielder's choice in the next at-bat.

Andy Powell hit into the third out of the inning.

Radley continued to pitch well through the eighth inning while the Mustangs and 'Birds fought for the go-ahead run. He struck out 12 batters on the night including four in the seventh and eight innings.

Cruz took the mound in the ninth, just when Lamar's offense was catching on.

The first batter walked and eventually scored, though the Mustangs did not earn a single hit that inning. Lamar had two base runners that inning - both on walks. Errors and stolen bases moved them around and led to Lamar's lone run in the inning.

The Mustangs moved ahead 3-2 with the Ricebirds up to bat with pressure on.

One more run would tie the game and force more extrainnings play. Two runs would give El Campo the win. But if the 'Birds did not score, the night belonged to the Mustangs.

El Campo gave a nice effort in the inning and almost got a rally going. Cruz led off with a single and stole second base in the next at-bat.

McClain reached base on a bunt to put runners on first and third. He later stole second base to put major pressure on the Mustang defense.

The next three batters earned outs on two fly balls and a strikeout to end El Campo's attempt at staying in the game.

Cruz, McClain and Deiss all led the team with 2 hits in 4 atbats. Will Garrett had 1 hit in 3 at-bats while Malone had 1 in 4. Every El Campo hit was a single.

Radley finished his time on the mound with 12 strikeouts, 3 hits and no earned runs in 30 atbats. Cruz' inning of relief resulted in 1 earned run, 2 walks and 1 strikeout in 5 at-bats.