The Los Medanos College Mustangs faced off against the Contra Costa College Comets in the second of a 3 game series. The Mustangs won the first game by a score of 5-3, and were feeling confident going into this game. 

“We are feeling good. We won 4 games in a row now so we feel hot as a team” said LMC shortstop Colten Trudeau.

The game led off with the Comets scoring on a sacrifice fly in the first inning by outfielder Rahmel Hinkle. They would score a second run via a single by Carson Williams to make it 2-0 Comets.

The Mustangs would answer back in the bottom of the inning, with third baseman Andrew Neil leading off with a double, and scoring on a throwing error to make it 2-1. 

LMC starting pitcher Jack Saylor had to be taken out of the game as a precaution, after a line drive single hit by Comet’s infielder Fernando Dueñas ricocheted off Saylor’s pitching arm. “He’s doing fine, and he may have been able to pitch through it, but we didn’t want to risk it since it hit off his throwing arm,” said Colten Trudeau.

After a couple scoreless innings, the Mustangs would take the lead via a two-run triple by center fielder Tyler Boyce to give LMC a 3-2 lead. 

“I was happy to help my team take the lead. I felt I knew what pitch was coming and was happy to provide for my team,” said Boyce.

The score would remain the same until the 8th inning, where the Comets would start a rally with a couple of one out singles. They would tie the game via a wild pitch by LMC pitcher Jared Cruce that scored Comet’s catcher William Robison. The Comets took the lead after a two out single by infielder Josh Fiarchild scored infielder Carson Willams.

With LMC trailing 4-3, the Mustangs found momentum after Colten Trudeau led off the bottom inning with a single. After loading the bases, third baseman Andrew Neil would come through with a clutch two run double off Comet’s reliever Keith Whitaker to give the Mustangs a 5-4 lead. 

“I saw (Whitaker) warming up, so first pitch, I knew he would throw me something good to hit,” said Neil. 

The runs wouldn’t stop there, as second baseman Andrew Pierce hit a two run single to extend the lead to 7-4. The Mustangs would cap off a six run rally with left field Nick Berry hitting a towering two run home run to make it 9-4, which would ultimately be the final score.

Reliever Jared Cruce would go on to get the win, after tossing five innings of relief, allowing only two unearned runs and striking out four batters. 

“I had to make pitches to keep us in the game. I did give it a way in the 8th, but I knew I had to keep my poise to get out of the inning” said Cruce. He would go on to finish the game off in the ninth after the Mustangs rally. “Even after taking the lead, I knew I had to stay focused to close the game out. It was a huge win for us” he said.

With the win, the Mustangs were feeling good about their next game against the Comets and to go for the sweep. 

“We just feel great. After two wins against them? We feel like we can finish it up,” said Andrew Neil. “If we keep these kinds of at bats up and keep throwing good pitches, we know we can keep this winning streak going,” said Colen Trudeau.