Late flurry propels Mustangs over PV

VIENNA — Mathews run-ruled Northeastern Athletic Conference (NAC) rival Pymatuning Valley 15-5 on Monday after a flurry of runs in the final two innings.

The Mustangs, who led 8-5 going into the bottom of the fifth inning, scored seven runs between the fifth and sixth to take a 10-run lead and end the league game in six innings.

“We haven’t hit the ball like that in several games collectively. So it was real nice to see everybody in the lineup produce, with a lot of really nice shots out there,” Mathews head coach Jim Nicula said.

The Lakers took a lead in the top of the first, with Allison Clark capitalizing on a McKenna Jordan leadoff triple by driving in Jordan for the first run of the game.

Olivia Matheny, Mathews’ starting pitcher, fired back in the bottom of the inning at the plate; after fouling off the first two pitches of the at-bat, Matheny found the sweet spot on the third pitch and drove it over the fence to give the Mustangs a 2-1 advantage.

Following a scoreless second, PV’s Nataleigh Haines tied the game at two runs apiece with a one-out RBI double to left field.

Just as they did in the first, the Mustangs immediately gained control of the lead again. This time, Maddy Hufford’s two-run double pushed Mathews ahead. Ashia Pate and Allie Ramsey then each drove in a run with a sacrifice fly and single, respectively.

Hufford extended Mathews’ lead from four runs to six in the bottom of the fourth, when she hit a two-run home run just over the fence and the outstretched hand of PV’s center fielder.

Sensing the game potentially getting out of reach, the Lakers rallied in the fifth inning.

Clark drove in the first run of the inning with a two-out double before Haines and Peyton Hudson similarly hit RBI doubles to pull PV within three runs.

Unfortunately for the Lakers, from the bottom of the fifth inning on, Mathews poured on the runs.

The Mustangs scored three in the fifth and four in the sixth to trigger the OHSAA’s 10-run rule and call an end to the game early.

Matheny, who pitched five innings before being relieved by Pate, earned the win. Hannah Young picked up the loss after surrendering 11 hits and eight earned runs in four innings.

“That’s a good team. There’s a reason why they go deep into the playoffs every year,” Lakers coach Andrew Gray said. “We have a bunch of young girls this year, my two pitchers (Young and Hudson) are freshmen. It’s going to take them a little bit, maybe another year, to be able to pitch well against those guys.

“One through nine, they hit the ball. When you have a lineup like that, it’s going to be hard to beat, but I think we competed very good. The last two innings, we gave up all those runs, but before that, we were only down three. It was a close game, and then we just let it go. But that’s inexperience. That’s a young team.”

PV (7-3), which has completed just three games in the last week and a half, is set to play at Conneaut today at 4:30 p.m.

Mathews (13-3) travels to Lowellville today for a 5 p.m. non-conference game.