Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 | Box Score 3 | Box Score 4 HOBBS, NM ----The Mustang Baseball program had to change their plans multiple times in the 48-hour time period prior to their games with McPherson College over the weekend. The Mustangs were originally scheduled to travel to Oklahoma City to play in a 3-team round robin with Mid-America Christian and William Woods, but due to freezing temperatures over the weekend, the games were canceled. Mid-America Christian decided to then make the trip down to Hobbs for the weekend, but were unable to leave campus due to icy road conditions. Coach Steve Appel was then left scrambling to find a team to come down to Hobbs to take on the Mustangs. But Appel was able to find McPherson College to come down and take on his program in a 4-game set. 
 
GAME 1
USW 5 McPherson 1
 
Sophomore right-hander JJ Kruzel took to the mound for Game 1 of the series and was in complete control for the entire 7-inning ball game. The righty went 7 innings allowing 1 earned run, 1 walk, 3 hits and struck out 10 bulldog hitters. "I was really commanding my fastball. My changeup was there today which usually isn't there." Kruzel had to say following his complete game gem in Game 1. 
 
The Mustangs were led offensively by Senior outfielder Ben Tingen. The Las Cruces native went 3-4 and scored 2 runs. The Bulldogs jumped out to a 1-0 lead after the top of the 1^st, but the Mustangs answered back with 2 runs of their own. The inning started off with a leadoff walk by Jacob Harris then Ben Tingen singled up the middle. Catcher CJ Aviles then sacrificed them over with a bunt. After a Delacruz ground out, Bobby Galindo came up for his 1^st at-bat wearing a Mustang uniform.  The junior-college transfer from El Paso, TX singled just past the first basemen bringing home Harris and Tingen. 
 
The Mustangs tacked on runs in the 2^nd, 4^thand 6^thto extend their lead to 5-1. 
 

Score by Innings	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	-	R	H	E
McPherson (Kan.)	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	-	1	3	4
Southwest (N.M.)	2	1	0	1	0	1	x	-	5	10	0

 
 
GAME 2
McPherson 3 USW 1
 
Game 2 was a different story for the Mustang offense as they scored only 1 run in the first inning and never crossed the plate again. The Mustangs scattered 5 hits across 7 innings with no Mustangs with multiple hits. Leadoff man Jacob Harris scored the only run in the 1^st inning after a single to right. 
 
Senior Kevin Whitaker toed the rubber for Game 2 and was spectacular for the 2^nd straight start. Whitaker went 5 1/3 inning and allowed 2 earned runs while striking out 9 Bulldog hitters. 
 

Score by Innings	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	-	R	H	E
McPherson (Kan.)	0	1	0	0	0	2	0	-	3	7	1
Southwest (N.M.)	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	-	1	5	3

 
 
GAME 3
McPherson 6 USW 4
 
Day 2 of the series was a story of missed opportunities for the Mustangs. The Mustangs left 10 runners on base in Game 3, several of them in key situations in the game. 
 
The Stangs were held scoreless until the 6^th inning when they scored 3 runs to tie the game at 3-3. The inning started off with a leadoff home-run from left fielder Othon Delacruz (1^st) that pierced through the crisp breeze blowing straight in. Micah Tambur (4-4 on the day) doubled to left with 1 out and EJ Rendon reached via error from the Bulldog third basemen, moving Tambur up to 3^rd base. After a McPherson pitching change, catcher CJ Aviles chopped a ball to 3^rd base that ate up the 3^rd basement McCoy Pearce. Micah Tambur would come on to score and EJ Rendon scurried around to 3^rd base. Junior 2^nd basemen John Magruder came up and singled through the 6-hole scoring Rendon. 3 batters later Ben Tingen stepped to the plate and hit a groundball to 2^nd base and called out by just a few inches. 
 
The Mustangs went back out on defense tied up 3-3. After 2 Bulldog singles, reliever Ezra Acosta got Brevin Baessler to fly out to LF. Left fielder Othon Delacruz came up firing to 3^rd base, but the throw sailed above the head of Bobby Galindo and kicked into the 3^rd base dugout allowing the runner on 2^nd to score and the runner on 1^st to advance all the way to third. The Bulldogs would go on to score 2 more runs in the inning and kill the Mustang comeback. 
   

Score by Innings	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	-	R	H	E
McPherson (Kan.)	0	2	0	1	0	0	3	-	6	10	2
Southwest (N.M.)	0	0	0	0	0	3	1	-	4	8	0

 
 
GAME 4
 
McPherson 4 USW 3
 
The Mustang offense was off to another slow start in Game 4 on Sunday and tried to make another late-inning comeback that fell just short. 
 
Sophomore Orlan Warren took the ball for the Stangs and lasted only 2 1/3 innings allowing 3 earned runs on 6 hits. Senior Ignacio 'Nacho' Elizalde came in relief and stifled the Bulldog offense over the final 4 2/3 innings. Nacho struck out 3 batters and allowed only 1 earned run which proved to be the winning run for McPherson in the top of the 7^thinning. 
 
Catcher Gabe Valdez was a key contributor at the plate as he went 2-3 with a triple and 2 RBI's. Valdez came up in the bottom of the 6^th and drove home Galindo and Tambur on the triple to right center to tie the game at 3-3. 2 batters later Dom Baca hit a soft chopper to 3^rd base and appeared to beat the throw at first base, but the umpire called Baca out by a few inches. 
 
 

Score by Innings	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	-	R	H	E
McPherson (Kan.)	0	3	0	0	0	0	1	-	4	0	2
Southwest (N.M.)	0	0	0	0	1	2	0	-	3	6	1

 

Thoughts from Coach Appel 

"Overall I thought it was a good competitive series. It was a series that could of went either way numerous times. With the weather conditions, I thought our guys showed great energy until the end. We just need to do a better job of scoring when we have guys in scoring position and less than two outs. We also needed a couple key 2 out hits with runners in scoring position. I am confident that our guys will show up ready to roll this week to fix things. On the defensive side, I thought we had average play. It was also nice to see us get some great pitching from our bullpen when we were down early in the last couple games.

These are all great things to run into early in the year, even though we may not have come out on top in the series. A handful of at-bats could have very easily changed the outcome. But in the end, these type of games and environment will make us stronger as a unit and should help us out down the stretch when the games really matter. I'm looking forward to getting back on the field with the guys"