Photo: 20 Luke McCauslin dives for a ball in centerfield
Varsity Baseball
The Badgers closed out their home part of the schedule with a wild 13-11 extra inning loss to the Mingus Marauders.
The game played out to a recent familiar scenario, something that sports betting fans are sure to appreciate, with the Badgers falling behind, taking the lead, ultimately losing in the late innings.
Hunter Hays started on the mound for Prescott, and the Marauders took a 2-0 lead in the top of the third. Jan Alvarez fisted a single to right after Ben Behlow had walked, placing runners at first and second. Treyson Peters hit a two RBI double down in the left field corner for the early lead.
The bottom half of the inning saw the Badgers come back to take a 4-2 lead. Ethan Ammerman and Tyson Potts, who singled, both scored on a single by Hunter Hays to tie the game at two. Tucker Koning singled in Hays for a 3-2 lead. Lucas Miller singled in Koning for the fourth run.
The top of the fourth, Mingus tied the game at four thanks to a walk, and a Badger error.
Mingus added one more in the fifth, and three in the sixth, on a single by Peters and back to back walks by new Badger pitcher Ethan Ammerman. Coach Kent Winslow made the move to put Scooter Schwartz on the hill. Ryan Lindsay hit a ball just over the head of shortstop Alex Vaughn, scoring two. A wild pitch would later score Ryan Shamberger, who had earlier walked, making the score 8-4.
Prescott responded with a four run sixth to tie the game 8-8. Luke McCauslin tripled to get things going. Ethan Ammerman did his job with a ground out to second, scoring McCauslin.
Mingus decided to go to the bullpen and brought in sophomore Hunter Cowgill. Tyson Potts greeted Cowhill with a solid single to left. Hunter Hays then worked the walk, and Tucker Koning went with the pitch and smacked a ball down the right field line, scoring Potts and leaving runners at second and third. Scooter Schwartz legged out an infield single to score Hays and Lucas Miller hit into a potential double play, but the ball was dropped at first, scoring Koning to tie the game 8-8.
Mingus broke the tie to open an 11-8 lead in the top of the seventh thanks in part to three infield singles. Anthony Rivera had the first one, followed by the second by Jan Alvarez. Treyson Peters singled to right scoring Rivera. Zach Harrison had yet another infield single to load the bases. Ryan Lindsay singled to center scoring two more.
The Badgers, chasing three, rallied to tie the game, and send it to extra innings. Alex Vaughn took a pitch to the midsection, followed by a walk to Luke McCauslin. Ryan Lindsay came into pitch for the Marauders, replacing Ethan Cowgill. Ethan Ammerman doubled in Vaughn to close the gap to 11-9. Tyson Potts came through with the game tying single, scoring McCauslin and pinch runner Jacob McElfresh.
The Marauders got to Schwartz again in the top of the eight, scoring two for the win. Ryan Lindsay pitched the final inning plus to pick up the win.
For the Badgers, Hunter Hays and Tyson Potts each had three hits, and two RBIs. Ethan Ammerman had a hit and two RBI, and Tucker Koning had two hits and two RBIs
Mingus was led by Treyson Peters and Ryan Lindsay, who had four RBIs each. Peters and Zach Harrison each had three hits.
Prescott falls (4-7) in the Grand Canyon Region, and (7-11) overall. The Badgers get one more shot at Mingus (3-8) and (6-12) in Cottonwood, today at 3:45 pm.
MINGUS MARAUDERS 13, PRESCOTT BADGERS 11
Innings – 123 456 78 – R H E
Mingus 002 213 32 – 13 16 4
Prescott 004 004 30 – 11 14 5
WP-Lindsay
LP-Schwartz
Tennis State Playoffs
Girls Singles
#4 Ava Andrews and #7 Ava Strasser also had success, each reaching the quarterfinal rounds of the state tournament before losing.
Andrews beat Madison Constantine of Williams Field 6-1, 6-0, and Emma Swartz of Greenway 6-0, 6-0 , but lost to #5 Paulette Careaga of Salpointe Catholic 6-4, 6-4, to end her season.
Strasser beat Audrey Heiden of Paradise Valley by default, and beat Alexis Alexander of Higley 6-4, 6-1, before losing to #2 Brooke Belitz of Notre Dame Prep 6-2, 6-4.
Boys Doubles
Prescott sent the doubles team of Leyton Fetty/Owen Thomas to the Paseo Racquet Center in Glendale and the two Badgers had success reaching the elite eight before falling to #3 Rhys Williams/Shane Heard of Arcadia.
Fetty and Thomas seeded #6 beat Nathan Cline/Colin Steffensen of Thunderbird 6-2, 6-4, Allen Haro/Blake Dixon of Fairfax 6-1, 6-1, in the first two rounds.
Coach Sterling Fetty said, “They all played great. The fact that they all got to the final eight was awesome.”
