Mustangs get good pitching, timely hits, but have to stave off late comeback bid

It was probably a good thing for Nixon-Smiley that Tuesday’s game with Stockdale didn’t go into the eighth inning, as the Mustangs held off a late surge by the Brahmas to stake a 6-5 win in a game that was a tighter fit than it should have been.

The Mustangs relied on good pitching and timely hits to improve their district record to 2-3.

Stockdale got on the board first with a run in the second inning before the Mustangs took the lead, scoring three times in the bottom of the third stanza. The Brahmas cut into the Nixon-Smiley lead in the fourth frame with another tally, but could not stop the Mustangs as they scored three insurance runs in the fifth inning to extend their lead to 6-2.

And it turns out they needed all of those runs.

The Brahmas mounted a rally in the final two innings, scoring a run in the sixth and two more in the seventh before finally get shut down.

Raul Tovar pitched a complete game for the Mustangs, giving up 10 hits and five runs with only two earned runs. He also struck out four batters and walked two. Although the Mustang batters combined for 11 strikeouts, the runners who made it on base found their way to home plate, including Jared Van Auken, who went 2-for-4 with two runs and a stolen base, and Nick Pena, who went 2-for-3 with two runs and a walk. Darren Kaluza also contributed, going 1-for-3 at the plate with one run, two RBIs and a stolen base.

Nixon-Smiley traveled to Luling Thursday night and won’t play again until hosting Karnes City on April 4.