Mustangs split last two games, capture No. 1 seed in Class 1A Regional

By Fred Kroner
fred@mahometnews.com

Two schools with 7-1 season records met on the baseball diamond on Thursday (Sept. 10) at Bismarck.

The host Eagles scored a 6-1 decision over Prairieview Ogden, which was playing short-handed due to COVID-19 protocol.

PVO scored its run in the first inning and held the home team scoreless until Bismarck-Henning put two runs on the board in the fourth inning.

PVO starter Parker Fitch – who didn’t allow a ball to leave the infield – had to be removed after 5 2/3 innings when he reached his mandatory pitch limit. Fitch allowed two hits and struck out three in his stint.

Reliever Coy Hayes worked the final one-third inning.

Graham Ray led the offensive attack for PVO. He collected two of the Mustangs’ three hits.

For the second time this season, PVO followed a loss by winning its next game.

On Monday (Sept. 14), the Mustangs scored the tie-breaking run in the fifth inning and edged Hoopeston Area 6-5 at Royal.

Logan Lackey (3-1), who picked up the pitching win, broke the tie with a run-scoring single in the fifth inning to snap a 5-5 deadlock. On the mound, Lackey scattered seven hits, allowed just one earned run and struck out four.

“A great win for Logan to help his confidence and to believe in himself,” PVO coach Greg Immke said.

Four Mustangs besides Lackey had hits. Teammates who collected safeties were Hayes, Ray, Fitch and Dalton York.

Fitch and James Huisinga knocked in runs during a three-run third-inning uprising.

PVO is 2-0 this season in one-run games and 4-0 in games decided by two runs or less.

PVO (8-2) returns to action on Thursday (Sept. 17) against Schlarman Academy at Danville’s Legion Field in the regular-season finale.

PVO has earned the No. 1 seed for a six-school Class 1A regional which will start on Monday (Sept. 21). The Mustangs’ first game will be at home in Royal on Tuesday (Sept. 22) in the semifinals against the winner between fourth-seeded Rossville-Alvin and fifth-seeded Heritage, who play each other the previous day.

The regional title game will be played on Saturday (Sept. 26). If PVO reaches the finals, it would be the title-game host.