Photo: 26 Matt Hepperle delivers in middle relief
The Prescott Badgers were able to overcome some obstacles in an 8-6 win over the Seton Catholic Prep Sentinels on a cool windy afternoon at Prescott High School.
The Badgers took a 1-0 lead as Ivan Schuster picked up an RBI on a ground out.
Seton Catholic took a 2-1 lead in the third inning on a single by Andres Lozano and a Prescott error. In the bottom of the same inning, the Badgers regained the lead. Cooper Magnett singled and scored, and Adrian Sanderford had a two RBI single for a 5-2 lead.
Seton Catholic scored a pair in the fourth and tied the game up in fifth, 5-5 after Nathan Mulligan came around to score after being hit by a pitch.
Photo: Cooper Magnett hits a road block in front of the plate by the Seton Catholic catcher
The Badgers tried to break the tie in the bottom of the fifth but Cooper Magnett was thrown out at the plate on a controversial call in which the Sentinels catcher was out in front of the plate a couple of feet up the third baseline right before getting possession of the ball. After discussion between the two umpires the play was upheld and the out was officially recorded. Fortunately for Prescott, the call would not matter. The Badgers still had runners at first and second with one out. Ryan Elliot and Luke Tobin both walked. Jack Burton took a pitch on the shoulder scoring another run as Prescott opened an 8-5 lead.
Photo: 9 Jack Burton holds up on a throw to first after getting the force out in the sixth inning
The Sentinels pushed a run across in the top of the sixth, but that was it thanks to Cooper Magnett who made an impressive diving catch to his right from his second base position.
Tristan McKown started and went 3.2 innings before being relieved by Matt Hepperle, who managed to keep the game close even with the errors. Travis Gates came in and closed out the final two innings and picked up the save.
Hepperle, a sophomore in his third outing of the season said, “I thought I did ok today. I am still getting used to being at the varsity level and everything that goes along with that. Stuff happens during games and you can’t let those things get to you. I can only control what I am doing and I felt I did a good job at that today.”
Magnett, “That was a battle out there today that we were able overcome some things and get the W. We are confident in our hitting and even though they came back to tie us we knew we could get some more runs.” About the catch, “I read it off the bat quickly and just went after it.” When asked about the play at the plate that resulted in a controversial out, Magnett said, “The coaches know more about the rules and I just have to leave it at that.”
Colton Champion had the only extra base hot for the Prescott with a double. Elliot, Magnett, and Champion each had two hits.
Despite the six errors and controversial calls, the Badgers improve to (3-1) while Seton Catholic Prep drops to (3-4). Prescott will host Deer Valley on Monday at 4 pm.
PRESCOTT BADGERS 8, SETON CATHOLIC PREP SENTINELS 6
Innings- 123 456 7 – R H E
Seton Catholic Prep 002 211 0 – 6 5 2
Prescott 104 030 x – 8 10 6
WP:Hepperle
LP:Bruening
Varsity Softball
The Prescott Badgers lost to the Seton Catholic Sentinels 7-0 in Chandler. The Badgers managed just three hits off of Sentinels pitcher Brooke Zuluaga.
Kennedy Carr had a double. Mariah Smoolnikar and Cameron Scrivener each had a single, as the Badgers fall to (6-3) on the season.
Prescott will host Deer Valley at 4 pm on Monday.
SETON CATHOLIC PREP SENTINELS 7, PRESCOTT BADGERS 0
Innings- 123 456 7 – R H E
Prescott 000 000 0 – 0 3 3
Seton Catholic Prep 103 300 x – 7 8 1
WP:Zuluaga
LP:Pereira
