Mule Baseball vs. Dimmitt (3-10-18)

Mule Baseball vs. Dimmitt (3-10-18)

The Mule baseball team defeated the Dimmitt Bobcats Saturday 11-6 in seven innings. Riley Kettner started on the mound for the Mules.

A tapper back to Kettner opened the game. He fielded the ball and tossed to Rigo Mendoza at first for the out. Mendoza fielded a ground ball and stepped on first for an unassisted second out. Kettner sat the third batter on three pitches for his first strikeout.

A walk turned into the Bobcats first run on two wild pitches and a passed ball. Kettner struck out three batters to end the top half of the second inning with Dimmitt leading 1-0.

Kettner struck out one in the top of the third inning, and the Mules held Dimmitt to a 1-0 lead.

The Mules got on the board in the bottom of the third inning. Jimmy Villa drew a walk to lead off the inning and went to second on a sacrifice by Matt DeLeon. Villa stole third base and stole home for the Mules’ first run.

Jacob Deleon singled and advanced to second and third on pitches to Ethan Villa. J. DeLeon scored on a Villa sacrifice slow roller to second base to put the Mules on top 2-1.

Kettner recorded his sixth strikeout in the top the fourth inning. A base on balls did not result in a run. Dimmitt’s first batter of the fifth inning singled to left field. A ground ball to JoJo Rejino at third base resulted in the first out as Rejino made the throw to Mendoza at first. J. DeLeon caught a fly ball in centerfield for the second out. A single to center scored one run. Dimmitt had tied the game.

The Mules answered by batting around in the bottom of the fifth inning and scored five runs. M. DeLeon sent a one-out single to right field and promptly stole second base. Villa slammed a ground ball through the hole for a double that scored M. DeLeon.

Rejino singled down the leftfield line, and a base on balls was issued to Kettner to load the bases with Mules. An error by the shortstop allowed Kelan Florez to reach first base. Villa and Rejino scored on the error.

Leonel Camarena slashed a single to right field to score both Kettner and Flores. The Mules led 7-2 after five innings.

Dimmitt went in order in the top of the sixth inning.

Villa led off the bottom of the sixth inning with a single up the middle and went to second on the throw. J. DeLeon reached on an error by the left fielder and Villa scored. Villa singled, and Rejino singled to right field to score J. DeLeon and Villa. Rejino scored on a single up the middle by Riley. The Mules had increased their lead to 11-2 after six innings.

Dimmitt got on a role in the top of the seventh inning and scored four runs before the Mules recorded the final strikeout.

The Mules will play a doubleheader at River Road against the Wildcats March 15 and travel to Dimmitt March 17 for a rematch with the Bobcats. The Mules will open district play March 24 in Littlefield against the Wildcats.