Assistant Editor Jerry Lindsey wrote this report.
The Morrison Mustangs dropped a third Baseball game, on Thursday, April 29, 2021, to the Fulton Steamers.
Nate Helms started off a short burst of offense in the top of the first inning, with a hard hit single to left. Ashton Smith advanced Helms to third with a double to left. However, they were both left stranded to end the top of the first inning. Helms then took the mound for the Mustangs. Fulton’s first three batters reached safely. Two errors allowed the Steamers to score two, and a fielder’s choice scored a third man.
Fulton retired three straight Mustangs in the top of the second inning, keeping the score 3-0. Helms faced four batters in the bottom of the inning, recording one strikeout. The top of third again showed promise for the Mustangs with a hard-hit single by Danny Mouw and a Helms walk. Smith advanced both runners with a sac fly to center. Mouw and Helms were left stranded to end the top of the third. Helms again faced four batters in the bottom, recording one strikeout.
With two outs in the top of the fourth, Tucker Brown and T. C. Ottens walked but were stranded. Helms walked the first two batters to start the fifth inning. A base running error by Fulton led to a double play, with the runner failing to tag up on the fly out. A ground out ended the Fulton threat in the fourth.
The Mustangs only had one base runner in the fifth, with Mouw advancing to first on a dropped third strike. Smith took the mound in relief of Helms, and Smith faced only four Steamers. The Mustang defense recorded two ground outs and fly out.
In the top of the sixth, Brenden Martin and Ottens both reached on walks but, once again, were left on base to end the top of the inning. An error, a pair of walks, and two hard-hit singles allowed Fulton to score three more runs, before the Mustangs were able to end the inning. The top of the seventh began with a hard-hit line out to center by Mouw. Morrison, however, was unable to muster any offense.
The game ended with a 6 – 0 shut out of the Mustangs.