Photo: Nick Martin takes the throw from second baseman Ashtohn Whitwell as 4 Tanner Brewer charges into second base
Varsity Baseball
Monday’s game:
Senior Day was a little rough at the start but by the end of the game the Badgers walked off the field with a 5-3 win over the Mingus Marauders.
Senior Travis Gates, who had been extremely sharp in his previous five starts, had an early exit after struggling in the second and was eventually relieved by fellow senior Willie Horn. Gates said, “It just was one of those days. I mean the routine was different today and I could not hit my spots. Disappointing for sure.” Gates did provide a spark in the bottom of third with a sacrifice fly to center giving the Badgers a 3-2 lead.
Prior to that Mingus jumped on top with one of two runs in the second after a seeing eye ground ball rolled past the gloves of both the first and second baseman. A bases loaded walk scored the second.
Photo: 22 Kaden Lampe crosses home plate
In the bottom half of the second Kaden Lampe’s two out RBI double scored a run. Mateo Blair followed with an RBI single to center to tie the game at two. In the next inning Gates hit the fly ball to center scoring the go ahead run.
Photo: 21 Willie Horn is now (3-1) on the season after allowing just one run in 5.2 innings
William Horn did a great job in relief and came through at the plate as well with a big two RBI double in the fifth to extend the Badgers lead to 5-2.
Prescott missed a golden opportunity to build on their lead but left the bases loaded in the sixth. The Marauders final at bat started off with Zaiden Ballesteros reaching on an error then a single by Carter Wacker put runners at the corners. A sacrifice fly scored Ballesteros with Horn getting the final two outs for the win.
Photo: The seniors who were honored before the game are 8 Ashton Whitwell, 15 Dakota Schmidt, 21 Williams Horn, 25 Matt Hepperle, and 43 Travis Gates
Horn said, “Could not have done this without my teammates and my coaches. Coming back from shoulder surgery and having a performance like today was huge. Having the chemistry we have as a team, supporting each other and having each others backs is a big deal.”
Nick Martin had a tremendous day at shortstop scooping up anything in his zip code and frustrating Mingus very much said, “This year has been a very good out there and I have a lot of confidence in my pitchers to throw strikes and I have other infielders I have confidence in which makes me more comfortable out there. It was just a good day with sweet plays.”
Coach Hutchens said, “We got the win but made it harder than it needed to be. Travis struggled which is not what you would expect from him but sometimes it happens. I have a lot of confidence in him to bounce back next time and pitch well. Willie came in and got the job done. The main thing is we got the win but we continue to make mistakes that can cost you games.”
Monday Results
PRESCOTT BADGERS 5, MINGUS MARAUDERS 3
Innings- 123 456 7 – R H E
Mingus 020 000 1 – 3 4 1
Prescott 021 020 x – 5 9 3
WP:Horn
LP:Scott
The Wednesday game versus Mingus in Cottonwood saw the Badgers jump on top 7-0 during their first at bat in a 12-7 win over the Marauders to finish in third place in the GCR behind Flagstaff.
Matt Hepperle picked up the win and went four innings allowing three runs and four hits with four strikeouts. Kaden Lampe came in to work the final three innings.
Easton Shy had a double and hit his first home run of the season, a three run blast in the fifth inning. Hepperle and Travis Gates each had three hits including a double with Gates having an RBI and Hepperle three RBIs. Ashton Whitwell had two RBIs as the Badgers improved to (17-8) on the season and moved towards a higher ranking heading into the playoffs next week.
Williams Horn had a pair of hits that included a double and two RBIs. Lampe had an RBI single and Nick Martin had an RBI single with a stolen base. Gino Lowe had a double and scored twice.
Hepperle said, “It was really nice to take the mound with a seven run lead. Obviously coming out strong is exactly what we wanted to do. We just need to do a better job at closing it out. They came back some but we never felt like the game was in jeopardy.” About getting to face one of the best 4A teams in Gilbert North, Hepperle said, “This will be a good challenge for us to see where we are at. We know we are in the playoffs but we will need to play at a higher level than we have been.”
Prescott will host #4 ALA-Gilbert North on Saturday at 2pm in their regular season finale. Following that game, the AIA will determine the final rankings and the play-in games will be announced. The Badgers are sitting at #14 before the game today and would host the game if they don’t fall below #16.
Wednesday Game
PRESCOTT BADGERS 12, MINGUS MARAUDERS 7
Innings- 123 456 7 – R H E
Prescott 700 140 0 – 12 13 2
Mingus 000 213 1 – 7 6 0
WP:Hepperle
LP:Pusi
HR:Shy
In other games…..
Trinity Christian improved to (10-3) with an 11-0 win over the Gila Bend Gila Monsters. The Warriors will close out their regular season at Holy Family Academy before the Canyon Athletic
Association playoffs begin next week.
Carsen Matock and Tommy Kleinjan combined for a no hit shutout and struck out 11 between them. The only Gila Monsters base runner was a walk.
Connor Wallace knocked in 3 runs with a double and a home run. Matock and Mathew Blacketer each had a pair of RBIs. The Warriors also had six stolen bases, two each by Weston Sharp and Ethan Feddema.
TRINITY CHRISTIAN WARRIORS 11, GILA BEND GILA MONSTERS 0
Innings- 123 45 – R H E
Gila Bend 000 00 – 0 0 4
Trinity Christian 344 0x – 11 12 0
WP:Matock
LP:Enos
HR:Wallace
In a rare midweek double header the Bradshaw Mountain Bears swept the Lee Williams Volunteers 8-7 and 7-2 to take second place in the Grand Canyon Region. Certain motivation by the Bears in the fact that a sweep would secure second place after sweeping the Prescott Badgers earlier this season, and a much better chance at earning a playoff spot.
Ty Young had a big day by hitting a home run in both games and going 5-7 officially at the plate with 3 doubles and 6 RBIs. Drew Strader went 4-7 with a double and an RBI.
Nitesh Patel won the first game by going six innings with Dylan Lockwood following and Sammy Villafina picking up the save by getting the final out.
Game two saw Breken Herb pitch four innings and allowing just one run while scattering six hits with eight strikeouts. Sammy Villafina threw the final three allowing just one run.
The Bears host Poston Butte on Monday in their regular season finale at 3:45pm. Ranked #23 going into todays games, Bradshaw Mountain is very likely to hang on to a playoff spot. A certain road game would follow on Monday April 29 once the brackets are released by the AIA next week.
Game One
BRADSHAW MOUNTAIN BEARS 8, LEE WILLIAMS VOLUNTEERS 7
Innings- 123 456 7 – R H E
Lee Willams 002 003 2 – 7 10 1
Bradshaw Mountain 300 032 x – 8 12 1
WP:Patel
LP:McGrew
HR:Lewandowski, Young
Game Two
BRADSHAW MOUNTAIN BEARS 7, LEE WILLIAMS VOLUNTEERS 2
Innings- 123 456 7 – R H E
Lee Williams 001 010 0 – 2 9 1
Bradshaw Mountain 220 102 x – 7 9 0
WP:Herb
LP:Yurcina
HR:Young
GRAND CANYON REGION STANDINGS
School-#Rank W-L W-L
Flagstaff #12 10-2 16-7
Bradshaw Mountain #23 9-3 11-14
Prescott #14 9-3 17-8
Mingus #25 6-6 13-13
Lee Williams 4-8 9-15
Coconino 4-8 8-17
Mohave 0-12 0-21
SCOREBOARD
Prescott 12, Mingus 7
Trinity Christian 11, Gila Bend 0
Bradshaw Mountain 8, Lee Williams 7
Bradshaw Mountain 7, Lee Williams 2
ALA-West Foothills 13, Chino Valley 3
Flagstaff 9, Coconino 8
Williams 5, Joseph City 1
MONDAY SCORES
Prescott 5,Mingus 3
Flagstaff 10, Coconino 2
Cesar Chavez 9, Lee Williams 3
AshFork/Seligman 12, Salome 10
Williams 4, Bagdad 1
