The Natalia Mustangs battled in a competitive weekend of baseball in Ingleside and Gregory last weekend. The boys in blue were able to win one and drop three contests during the two day evening in which they competed.
“The level of competition along the Coastal Bend is second to none,” Coach Kasey Crowther said. “We went to baseball country and competed well against some of the best in the state.”
Taft (Tx)-The Natalia Mustangs opened the tournament vs. the Taft Greyhounds Thursday. This 6-inning contest turned into a dandy, as the Greyhounds out-hit Natalia 10-7 en route to a 4-3 edge in victory.
Taft struck first in the top of the 3rd inning with two outs, as they used a pair of singles and a pair of stolen bases to take a 1-0 lead.
Natalia responded, as they also rallied with two outs. The Stangs used a Jacob Navarro walk, a single by Gavin Martinez and singles by Manuel Garcia and Sonny Rymers to take a 2-1 lead.
The Greyhounds were able to tie the game, with a run in the top of the 5th thanks to a double and a single.
The Stangs scored their final run in the bottom of the 5th, as Navarro started the at bat with a single and would end up scoring thanks to two ground-outs and a stolen base to take a 3-2 lead.
Unfortunately, the Greyhounds scored two final runs in the top of the 6th courtesy of a double, a single, a walk and a stolen base to edge the Stangs 4-3.
The Mustangs used four pitchers on the mound in the loss. Rymers pitched 2.0, allowed five hits, walked one, struck out two and allowed three earned runs. Joseph Blanquiz pitched 2.1, allowed two hits, walked one, struck out two. Fabian Ruiz pitched 1.1, allowed two hits, walked two and struck out one giving up an earned run. Manuel Garcia pitched .0, allowed one hit.
At bat- Rymers 1-3, Wyatt Owens 1-3, Blanquiz 0-2, Jaieden Burford 0-2, Chris Saldana 0-1, Xavier Vasquez 0-3, Fabian Ruiz 1-3-1RBI, Jacob Navarro 1-1, Gavin Martinez 1-3-1run scored, Rene Vasquez 0-0-2runs scored, Manuel Garcia 2-3-1RBI.
Defensive stats: Put-Outs- Navarro 5, Blanquiz 3, Garcia 2, Saldana 2, Vasquez 1, Martinez 1, Rymers 1, Burford 1. Assists- Garcia 1, Blanquiz 1.
Ingleside-It was a battle of the Mustangs Thursday evening, as Natalia met host Ingleside. Natalia was able to edge Ingleside offensively out-hitting them 7-5 en route to a 5-4 victory.
Natalia got started with a big 1st at bat, as they used a Martinez walk, a Garcia single followed by a Vasquez single to take a 2-0 lead.
Ingleside responded with a run of their own in the bottom of the first. Ingleside added a pair of runs in the bottom of the 2nd and a run in the bottom of the 3rd to take a 4-2 lead on Natalia.
The Mustangs rallied past the home squad in the top of the 4th. Natalia used a Navarro walk, a single by Burford, a single by Martinez and a big double by Fabian Ruiz to claim the 5-4 victory over Ingleside.
On the mound, Blanquiz pitched 2.0, allowed four hits, struck out three and allowed three runs, one of which was earned. Ruiz pitched 1.1, allowed one hit, walked one, struck out two and allowed one earned run. Garcia pitched .2, struck out one.
At bat-Rymers 0-3-1RBI, Blanquiz 0-0, Burford 1-1-1run scored, Saldana 0-2, Vasquez 1-2-1RBI, Ruiz 1-3, Navarro 1-1-1run scored, Martinez 1-2-1RBI-2runs scored, Garcia 2-2-1run scored and Luis Buentello 0-1-1RBI.
Defensive Stats: Puts-Outs: Navarro 6, Garcia 3, Ruiz 1, Burford 1, Rymers 1.
Stockdale-Natalia faced a much improved Stockdale Brahma squad on Friday morning. Stockdale edged Natalia 8-7 offensively in the hit category en route to a 6-3 victory over the Stangs.
Natalia was able to strike first in the bottom of the 2nd, as they used a double by Saldana, a single by Burford, an Owens hit by a pitch and a pair of singles by Martinez and Ruiz to take a 3-0 lead.
Stockdale responded in the top of the 3rd inning, as they used two doubles and two singles to score four runs en route to a 4-3 lead.
Stockdale added two final runs in the top of the 4th inning courtesy of three singles and a triple and that is all they would need as they held on for a 6-3 victory over the Stangs.
On the mound for Natalia, Rymers pitched 3.0, allowed five hits, walked one, struck out five and allowed five earned runs. Saldana pitched 2.0, allowed three hits, walked one, struck out one and allowed one earned run. Garcia pitched 2.0, allowed 0 hits and struck out five.
At bat- Rymers 0-2, Owens 0-2-1run scored, Blanquiz 0-2, Burford 1-3-1run scored, Saldana 1-3-1run scored, Vasquez 0-3, Ruiz 1-4-1RBI, Navarro 0-1, Martinez 2-4, Garcia 1-3, Buentello 1-1.
Defensive stats: Put-Outs- Blanquiz 9, Saldana 4, Garcia 3, Vasquez 2, Navarro 2, Martinez 1. Assists- Garcia 1, Burford 1.
Gregory Portland- The final game of the tournament on Friday was vs. 5A Gregory Portland on their home field. Natalia took the Wildcats step for step during the six inning battle as both teams had the same number of hits (8) and same # of runs (7). When time expired, due to the tourney rules, GP won due to reverting back to crucial stats with runners.
Natalia scored their first run in their opening at bat, as Martinez started off with a walk and eventually scored thanks to a pair of stolen bases and a hit by a pitch by Xavier Vasquez.
GP responded with a pair of runs in the bottom of the first, thanks to three walks and a single.
GP added two more runs in the bottom of the 2nd inning, thanks to two walks and two singles taking a 4-1 lead.
Natalia came alive offensively in the top of the 3rd inning. Natalia used singles by Ruiz, Rymers, Saldana and a double by Navarro to score in four big runs fueling the Stangs ahead of GP 5-4.
The boys in blue added one more run in the top of the 4th, thanks to a Martinez single, a stolen base, a ground out and a Martinez single allowing for a 6-4 lead.
GP responded with a run of their own in the bottom of the 4th thanks to a double, a single and a walk.
Natalia scored their final run in the top of the 5th, as Vasquez singled and eventually scored thanks to a pair of stolen bases and a single by Blanquiz allowing for a 7-5 lead.
GP was able to tie the game in the bottom of the 5th with one single, one triple and a hit batter and that is how it would end when time expired.
On the mound, Garcia pitched 4.1, allowed seven hits, walked three, struck out eight and allowed five earned runs. Saldana pitched .2, allowed one hit, walked four and allowed two earned runs.
At bat- Rymers 1-2-1run scored, Owens 0-2, Blanquiz 0-3, Burford 1-1, Saldana 1-3-1RBI-1run scored, Vasquez 1-2-2RBIs-1run scored, Ruiz 1-2-1run scored, Navarro 1-3-1RBI, Martinez 1-2-2runs scored, Vasquez 0-0-1run scored, Garcia 1-3-1RBI.
Defensive Stats: Put-Outs- Navarro 8, Rymers 3, Blanquiz 2, Garcia 1, Saldana 1.
“Our hitting was on point again, but errors in crucial areas ultimately cost us all three losses,” Crowther said. “Our kids are committed to the process and ultimately the goal is to get better every game and prepare for district.”
Upcoming Games
On press day, Natalia welcomed Carrizo Springs to town for a non-district battle at 7:00 p.m.
This coming weekend, Natalia travels to Frio County for the Pearsall Tournament. Natalia will battle Pleasanton and Dilley on Thursday and Crystal City and Boerne on Friday.
On Tuesday, March 16th district play opens on Tuesday at home vs. the Poteet Aggies.
By Eric Smith
Staff Writer