It's hard to script a better day than what the Valley Heights boys had against Republic County on Thursday, March 28th. The Mustangs were hot from the start as 5 players registered hits and Carson Spoonts as close to perfect as you can get on the mound.
That's not hyperbole when it comes to Spoonts' effort either. For 5 2/3 innings, Valley Heights' flame thrower hadn't allowed a runner. With 2 outs in the 6th and the Mustangs leading 8-0 Adam Krohn singled on a 3-0 pitch to break up the no-no.
The Mustang offense on the other hand, was firing on all cylinders. A 3 run home run by Spoonts in the first scoring Gavin Crowder and Brady DeWalt got the ball rolling for Valley Heights in the bottom of the first.
Crowder scored again in the 3rd, this time on a steal and an error by the Republic County 3rd baseman to push the lead to 4. Valley Heights added 4 spot in the 6th including a Hudson Nemechek double to get the motor running for the Mustangs.
Finally, in the bottom of the 6th, after Crowder scored on a passed ball, Spoonts doubled on a fly ball to center scoring Brady Dewalt and giving Valley Heights the 10-0 Game 1 win.
Game 2 wasn't as smooth sailing for Valley Heights. The Buffaloes came out swinging early on with 4 runs in the top of the first, the biggest being a bases loaded single with 2 down in the inning.
Fast forward to the 3rd, Carson Spoonts was able to provide a bit of offensive spark with the first Mustang run of the game, scoring on his own single with a pair of errors by Buffalo fielders.
Again, Republic County would put up a crooked number in the third with 3 more and things were starting to look a bit rough for Valley Heights. Then in the 4th, their fortunes changed. After a one out walk to Jayden DeWalt and a bases loaded hit by Spoonts Valley Heights cut the lead in half at 8-4.
From there, the Valley Heights pitching and defense caught their stride. Carson Spoonts struck out the side in the 4th and 6th inning and the Valley Heights offense put up an incredible 15 runs in the final 2 innings. Doubles by Jayden Dewalt and Hudson Nemechek gave the Mustangs a 11-8 lead, a 2 run triple by Royce Ekstrum and a 2 run double by Spoonts would provide the padding that turned this game into a Mustang blowout. Now sitting at 4-2, the Valley Heights boys get back at it in non-league action against Riley County on Thursday April 4th.
