by Chris Donnelly
Post game recap with Mike Heller pic.twitter.com/U8A89m3xvF
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) August 3, 2023
In a 15u Boys of Summer American Division matchup between Long Island Mustangs vs LIB Vengeance, the Mustangs would set the tempo early and never look back run-ruling LIB in 4 innings by a score of 12-2.
Mike Heller was doing it all today for the Mustangs going 4 innings giving up 0 earned runs, striking out 4, while going 3-for-4 at the plate scoring 2 runs. Heller started the game off on the bump and dealt with some trouble early. LIB would load the bases with 2 outs, but Heller would reach back and strike out the batter for the 3rd out and give them the opportunity to get an early lead.
Alex Zervas would get the start for LIB, but he worked through problems early. The Mustangs were locked and loaded at the plate getting their first 4 runners on base and scoring 2 runs after an RBI single from Justin Gomez followed by an RBI double from Owen Killeen. It didn’t stop there as Mike Lubitz brought in another on a fielder’s choice and Ethan Meinken would bring in 1 of his own on a single to center making the score 4-0 after 1 inning.
Mid 3: LIB get on the board with a 2 RBI double from Rich Torres
6-2 Mustangs pic.twitter.com/LOLk9RiZWW— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) August 3, 2023
Keller looked much more comfortable pitching with a lead as he would set down LIB in order in the top half of the 2nd inning. The bottom half stayed consistent for the Mustangs as they would score 2 more runs off the bats of Lubitz and Tommy Robilotta adding to their lead making the score 6-0 Mustangs after 2 innings.
End of 3: Mustangs continue to pile on.
2 RBI single from Michael Lubitz
9-2 Mustangs pic.twitter.com/ClEOOmqvbO— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) August 3, 2023
In the top of the 3rd, LIB would get on the board after 2 walks and a sac bunt brought up Rich Torres who would hit a 2 RBI double cutting the lead to 4 and making the score 6-2 heading to the bottom of the 3rd. The Mudcats would get those runs right back after RBIs from Lubitz and Killeen adding to the Mustangs lead making the score 9-2.
Then in the bottom of the 4th, the Mustangs continued to pile on runs after an RBI groundout from Meinken, an RBI single from Gomez, and to put the game in run-ruled territory it was Heller who drove in the game-ending run with an RBI single to center field.
The Mustangs bats weren’t all they needed in the win as their 4 runs in the 1st would’ve been enough to win as the pitching from Heller would keep LIB off the board as much as possible.
