Mustang Baseball Posts Run Rule Victory in Opener

North Nodaway posted an 11-1 run rule victory over North Harrison in their opener Friday despite it being played on St. Patrick’s Day. The young Mustang squad got all the hitting they needed from their underclassman, three of whom got critical hits.

Jake Shipman’s squad got its first runs of the season in the bottom of the first. North Nodaway got its leadoff man in Dakota Smyser on base with a walk and he stole second, but it looked like he would be stranded after Logan Keho and Peyton Coleman struck out. But then Smyser took third on a wild pitch, Arron Coleman reached on catcher’s interference, and stole second, restarting North Nodaway’s chances. That brought up freshman Ryan Riley, who promptly stepped up like a veteran and knocked them both in to make it 2-0.

North Harrison got its lone tally in the second when Collin Castleberry walked to lead off and later came around to score on a three base throwing error when Tyler Bix threw away a bunt and Ryan Thomsen made it to third with one out. But Trey Gilliland flied out to Dakota Smyser in center, too shallow to score Thomsen and pitcher Peyton Coleman picked off Thomsen to end the threat.
In the top of the third, Logan Huitt walked with one out, but was promptly shot down stealing as Tyler Bix showed that he had a rifle for an arm behind the plate for North Nodaway.

The Shamrock pitcher, Gilliland, kept North Nodaway shut down until the third, when he started fighting the strike zone and walked Logan Keho to lead off. Peyton Coleman singled, but Keho hesitated coming around second and was gunned down at third with Coleman taking second. Arron Coleman walked and Riley was plunked to load the bases, but Jordan Snyder struck out for the second out and it looked like North Nodaway would go down quietly. But then Gilliland plunked his second batter of the inning, Makayla Cross to force in Peyton and Bix walked to force in Arron Coleman and North Nodaway was up 4-1.

Breakingballer J.D. Baker came on to replace Gilliland and struck out Austin Bird, but ran into trouble with the top of the order in the fourth. Dakota Smyser walked and stole second and scored when Logan Keho whistled a single past short to score him. Peyton Coleman grounded to third, but the third baseman threw away the force at second and Keho made it to third. Coleman stole second, Arron Coleman walked to load the bases, and Riley got a solid hit right at second which was enough to bring in Keho to make it 6-1.

That finished Baker and brought in Randy Rinehart for the Shamrocks, but freshman Dalton Smyser greeted him with a solid single that brought in two more runs to break it open. MaKayla Cross struck out, but Tyler Bix walked, Garret Torres was plunked for the third hit batter of the game, and Dakota Smyser’s pop fly dropped in untouched behind second. With two outs, everyone was off on the crack of the bat and two more runs scored to make it 10-1.

Mustang pitcher Peyton Coleman was on a pitch count limit as he was nearing 75 pitches. It looked like he would get through as Ryan Jones grounded out to Arron Coleman at short. But then Trey Gilliland’s grounder hit the mound, bounced 20 feet up into the air, and he got a scratch hit. J.D. Baker struck out, but then Arron Coleman had to replace Peyton as he had reached his pitch limit. Tyler Lundy walked to put two on, but then Arron settled down and struck out Logan Huitt to get out of the inning.

Peyton Coleman tripled to right center as the ball sliced hard away from the center fielder and Arron Coleman grounded out to bring him home for the 11th run.