Mound Showdown: Game 2

FLOWER MOUND, TX - Game two of the “Mound Showdown” was earily similar to Tuesday’s game, with another low scoring affair dominated by quality starting pitching, and two highly touted arms leading the charge. 2019 LHP Austin Wallace (Texas), and 2019 RHP Blake Mayfield (Texas A&M) each threw five scoreless innings to start the game, and both pitchers were in control right from the get go.

In the top of the sixth, Marcus got a couple of walks and a throwing error on a bunt to load the bases with no outs. That’s when 2021 OF Tyler Schott hit a sac fly to right field to give the Marauders a one run lead. Wallace struck out the next two batters to end the inning and keep the Jags in striking distrance.

Fast forward to the bottom of the seventh, and Flower Mound was down to their last three outs, but 2020 1B Cam Brown (TCU) hit a two-strike hanging slider down the right field line for a triple. The very next batter, Matt Marlow, stroked a single through a drawn in infield to tie the game 1-1 for Jags. After an infield error, and a muffed play on a bunt, Flower Mound had bases loaded, nobody out, and looked poised to have their own walk off victory. But Mayfield got two strikeouts and a pop up to get Marcus out of it and send the second game of the Mound Showdown to extra innings.

Flower Mound reliever Tyler Talbert (DBU) worked around a double and a walk with a strikeout and a ground ball in the eighth. Marcus reliever Collier Mershon also put up a zero in the eighth, working around a two out walk and a single.

In the top of the ninth, 2021 Ty Johnson reached on a lead off error, moving up to second base, putting the winning run in scoring position with no outs. Brandon Concannon hit a one out sac fly to right field, moving Concannon to third, and the Jags elected to intentionally walk Tyler Schott. That’s when 2019 3B Brett Hedges (Lubbock Christian) singled to left field and put Marcus up 2-1. Mershon got two quick outs in the bottom of the ninth, then allowed a single to pinch hitter Geoff Marlow putting the tying run on first base. But Mershon struck out the next batter he faced to seal the 2-1 victory for the Marauders.

With the win, Marcus moves into a three way tie with Flower Mound and Coppell for first place in district 6-6A with an 8-2 record. Coppell and Marcus split their series last week, setting up a big series between Flower Mound and Coppell next week.

STATS
Marcus
Mayfield: 7 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 11 K, BB
Mershon: (W) 2 IP, 3 K, BB
Concannon: 1-4, BB
Schott: 1-3, R, 2 BB
Hedges: 1-4, RBI, BB
Mayfield: 1-4, 2B
Morgan: 1-1

Flower Mound
Wallace: 6.2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 6 K, 4 BB
Talber: (L) 2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER, K, 2 BB. Hitting: 1-4
Miller: 1-5
Brown: 1-2, 3B, 2 BB
M. Marlow: 2-4, RBI
G. Marlow: 1-4

Brett Hedges Game Winning Hit