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Mustangs get first baseball win by edging LHS STEVE KAY , LTN Sports Correspondent March 18, 2002 - DENVER — The East Lincoln Mustangs did al the thing they haven’t been doing to capture their first win of the season. The hard luck Mustangs got the breaks they needed and beat county-rival Lincoln 4-3 Friday. The Mustangs had lost games because of errors, inconsistent pitching and lack of timely hitting. In this game, however, East got solid pitching from the twins David and Michael Rue, only committed one error in the game and got a clutch two-out hit from Thomas Abernathy in the bottom of the sixth inning. “We threw our best pitchers,” said East coach Bruce Bolick. “We were rained out with Garinger earlier in the week so if that (would have happened), we wouldn’t have got to use our both pitchers. They are two competitive and good players. “Thomas has gone from a below average player to an above average player in one year,” Bolick said of Abernathy. Lincolnton could have gotten some damage early with bases loaded and no outs. But Mustang starter David Rue got himself out of the jam. He got a double play grounder with LHS leadoff man Luis Arce scoring on the play before getting the last batter out. The Mustangs wasted no time taking the lead in the bottom of the first. Josh Hamby got a base hit. Then scored on scored when Michael Rue smacked a triple. Rue came home on Danny O’Brien’s groundout. East plated another run in the second when. Matthew McIntosh, Josh Cardoso and Isiah Lindsay all hit singles. Lindsay got the RBI. David Rue and LHS starter Justin Keever settled down until the Wolves’ fifth. Bradley Clark, Randall Chambers, Arce all got hits before Charlie Stroup rapped a big two-out hit to tie the game. East brought in Michael Rue who got the Mustangs out of the inning. With the score 3-3, East took the lead for good. McIntosh and Brandon Robinson both drew walks. Cardoso laid down a bunt to move the runners over. Then Abernathy slapped a single to right to drive in McIntosh. Robinson tried to score too on the play but LHS right fielder gunned down Robinson at the plate with a perfect throw Michael Rue then retired the Wolves in the top of the seventh to secure the win. “This was a big win for our young squad,” said an elated Bolick after the game. “Sometimes when you get that first one, you gain momentum. Lincolnton has a fine baseball team,. But we’re happy to get the win.” O’Brien thinks the win and the way his teammates played can get the Mustangs on track just in time for conference season. “We’ve got our bats going and got some key hits and made the plays today,” the East Catcher said. “Hopefully, we can build on this win and get confidence that we can play with the big boys.” East’s Big South 3-A Conference opener is against North Gaston Friday after the Mustangs take on Garinger Monday. LHS will travel to Bandys to open its Midwest 2-A Conference slate.
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© 2001 Lincoln Times-News |
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