Astro-nomical win

By Jim Flick

Pat Mulligan, reinforced by 16 hits, pitches Falcons past Indiana, 10-2

“We needed a good outing by our pitcher and we got one.”

Scott Ruark

Astro Falcons coach

He struck out 11 and went the distance for in the CABA tournament game.

STRUTHERS – The Astro Falcons pounded out 16 hits to back a strong performance by their ace pitcher Wednesday to defeat Indiana Mustangs Select 10-2 in the Continental Amateur Baseball Association’s 18-and-under World Series in Cene Park.

The win raised the Astro Falcons’ record to 3-1 in the CABA tournament, which continues today

Starting pitcher Pat Mulligan struck out 11 and pitched a three-hitter and complete game for the Astro Falcons.

The team’s offense was led by Shane Wagner, who drove in three runs, and Bob Herberger, who drove in two runs. T.J. Rosenberg smacked two doubles and drove in a run for the Astro Falcons.

“We needed a good outing by our pitcher and we got one,” Astro Falcons coach Scott Ruark said. Mulligan “is a warrior. He doesn’t ever quit.”

Mulligan said he was determined to turn in a strong performance because that’s what the team needed. “My coach said we needed a strong game,” he remarked.

Mulligan, who plans to pitch next season for Lake Erie College, explained that he threw to keep Indiana Mustang batters off balance by constantly “changing the pitches.” He added he threw a variety of fastballs, sliders and curveballs.

In the first six innings, Mulligan limited the Mustangs to only one hit. Indiana scored one run in the third Mulligan walked a batter, hit a batter and gave up a single to load the bases. Left-fielder Sam Yeary knocked in the run for Indiana.

But Mulligan settled down and held a 10-1 lead going into the seventh inning. He struck out Indiana’s lead-off hitter, but he seemed to be tiring when a runner reached base on a wild pitch and Mulligan gave up the first hit by Indiana to leave the infield. A second hit in the inning drove in the Mustangs’ second run of the game. A wild pitch allowed runners to move to second and third with only one out.

But Mulligan reared back and ended the game by striking out Indiana’s last two batters.

The Astro Falcons’ offense emerged early. Wagner singled home a run in the first, and Bob Hershberg drove in a run in the second with a sacrifice fly. Four hits in the third, including a double by J.J. Sutton, scored three more runs, and the Astro Falcons added a run in the fourth to take a 6-1 lead.

Two more runs in the top of the sixth and two more in the top of the seventh boosted the Astro Falcons’ lead to 10-1 heading into the last half inning. Rosenburg lead off the sixth with his second double and came home on Bob Herberger’s, while Mark Lapikas blasted a triple to lead off the seventh for the Astro Falcons and set the stage for Mulligan’s last-inning effort.

“Everybody hit well tonight,” Ruark said. “When we needed hits, we got them.”

Wednesday’s rainstorm delayed the games in the tournament and resulted in the cancellation of several games scheduled for last night. Those games were rescheduled for 3:30 p.m. today.