Mustangs stay hot in district play
The Madisonville baseball team improved to 4-1 in district with victories over Mexia at MHS and La Vega on the road last week before beginning their second round of league play Tuesday against Robinson. The Mustangs entered Tuesday’s contest on a three-game winning streak.
“I think the boys are feeling really confident,” said head coach Adam Borgfeld. “They have gotten so much better as a team. The cohesiveness and working together, you can just see it building. They have really grown up a lot.”
Brad Rudis and Trent Murphy pitched a combined seven innings in the team’s April 6 shutout win over Mexia. Rudis started the game and went four innings, striking out seven hitters and allowing just two hits. Murphy went the rest of the way, also allowing just two baserunners on a pair of walks.
“(Pitching and defense) has been what is helping us the most,” said Borgfeld. “We didn’t hit the ball real well (against Mexia). Actually, both teams only had two hits each. We just took advantage of some opportunities and were able to come away with a win. Our pitching and defense have been two strong points this last half of the season.”
The Mustangs jumped out to a 2-0 advantage in the bottom of the first inning after a pair of walks and an errant throw by Mexia’s defense. Rayce Hudson brought home the second run with two outs in the inning with a line drive single to centerfield to score Britton Nash. It was all the support Madisonville’s pitchers would need.
The Mustangs added a pair of insurance runs in the bottom of the fifth inning after Murphy helped his own cause with a triple to right field. He ultimately came home on an RBI-groundout from Cody Borgfeld.
With two outs in the inning, Cody Stapleton scored on a passed ball for the final run of the night to give the Mustangs a 4-0 advantage.
Madisonville concluded their first stint of district play Friday with aa decisive 10-2 victory over La Vega in Waco. The Mustangs jumped out to an early 6-0 lead in the top of the first inning and never looked back, taking advantage of five La Vega miscues on the night.
Caden Miller led off the night with a bang when he lined a triple to right field to put the Mustangs in business immediately. Cade Hathorn brought him home right away with a sacrifice fly to centerfield.
Hudson gave the Mus tangs a two-run advantage later in the inning with an RBI-single to right to score Rudis, who reached on an error. Hudson then stole second base before coming around on a Borgfeld RBI single.
A hit-by-pitch and two more early La Vega errors ultimately plated Cooper Staley, Tyler Moseman and Cutter Smith to put the finishing touches on a big first inning.
“We came out strong that first inning and hit the ball all night long,” said Borgfeld. “I thought we could have opened it up sooner, but I was pleased with the way we hit. We were putting the bat on the ball all night and that’s the key. Put the ball in play and good things will happen to you.”
La Vega got two back off starter Hudson in the bottom half of the first, but they were the only runs they would muster in his six innings of work. These are also the only two runs Hudson has surrendered in all of district play.
“(Hudson) got stronger as the game went on,” said Borgfeld. “His work on the mound was a whole lot better as we got late into the game.”
The score remained 6-2 until the top of the sixth inning, when Hudson brought home Cameron Thrower on another RBI-single to left.
The Mustangs added three insurance runs in their final at-bat in the seventh. Miller tripled for the second time of the night before back-to-back doubles from Hathorn and Rudis gave the team the final 10-2 advantage.
Cutter Smith logged the final three outs for the Mustangs in the bottom of the seventh, striking out one.
Brad Rudis toed the rubber in the team’s second matchup against Robinson Tuesday and Hudson will pitch Friday in China Spring. The Mustangs blanked Robinson 3-0 the first time around, meaning a Tuesday win would put them in prime position to finish no worse than second in the district.
China Spring beat Madisonville 5-1 at MHS the first time around but the game was knotted at one entering the final inning.
