Published: March 17, 2007 12:30 am      

Mustangs rack up 14 hits in victory

By David Claybourn

Herald-Banner Sports Editor

Richardson Pearce pounded 14 hits to claim an 11-1 District 10-4A baseball victory over Greenville on Friday night at John Mason Field.

The Mustangs, who stayed undefeated in district play at 3-0, got at least one hit out of all nine starters in the batting order.

Greenville, which finished with seven hits, avoided a shutout with a run in the fifth inning. Brian Virgel, who was 3-for-3 to lead the Lions, beat out an infield hit and advanced to second on a throwing error. Dylan Potts then drove in Virgel with a single.

Other than the fifth inning the Lions did not advance any runners to third off Pearce pitchers Matt Faulkner and Jon Lautin. Faulkner struck out 11 batters in five innings while giving up all seven hits. Jon Lautin pitched a scoreless sixth, striking out one batter.

The game ended in the sixth because of the 10-run mercy rule.

Pearce got to Greenville starter Josh Robinson for seven runs in the first two innings. B.J. Miller, Taylor Randazzo and Jake Williams led off the game with successive singles. All three Mustangs scored, helped by a Greenville throwing error, a wild pitch and Zach Briggs’ RBI single.

Faulkner got a four-run flurry started for Pearce in the second inning with a bunt single. He advanced to third on a throwing error and courtesy runner Michael Neinast scored on a wild pitch. Miller doubled and scored on Jake Williams’ single. Doug Williams singled and Brent Powers followed with a two-run double.

Daniel Coleman relieved Robinson in the third and retired eight straight batters before yielding three runs in the fifth off a double by Briggs, an RBI single by Michael Koval, an RBI triple by Rudy Owen and an RBI double from Faulkner.

Michael Neinast scored Pearce’s final run in the sixth. Neinast reached on a walk, stole second, advanced to third on a throwing error and dashed home on Doug Williams’ single.

Greenville second baseman Travis Potter was 2-for-2 for the Lions and made a tough over-the-shoulder catch on a fly ball in the fourth inning.

The Lions dropped to 5-11 overall and 1-2 in district play.

District 10-4A baseball

Richardson Pearce 340 031 — 11 14 1

Greenville 000 010 —1 7 4

WP: Matt Faulkner, 7 hits, 1 run, 1 ER, 0 BBs, 11 Ks in 5 IP; relieved by Jon Lautin, 0 hits, 0 runs, 0 BBs, 1 K in 1 IP.

LP: Josh Robinson, 9 hits, 7 runs, 6 ERs, 0 BBs, 0 Ks in 2 IP; relieved by Daniel Coleman, 5 hits, 4 runs, 4 ERs, 1 BB, 2 Ks in 4 IP.

Leading hitters

RP: B.J. Miller 2-4, 2B, 2 runs; Taylor Randazzo 1-4, 1 run; Jake Williams 2-3, 2 runs; Doug Williams 2-4, 1 run; Brent Powers 2-4, 2B, 2 RBIs; Zach Briggs 2-4, 2B, 1 RBI; Michael Koval 1-3, 1 run, 1 RBI; Rudy Owen 1-3, 3B, 1 run, 1 RBI; Matt Faulkner 2-3, 2B, 1 BI.

G: Brian Virgel 3-3, 1 run; Dylan Potts 1-3, 1 RBI; Wade Prigmore 1-3, Travis Potter 2-2.

Records: RP 10-6, 3-0; GHS 5-11, 1-2.

Next game: Greenville at Forney, 7:30 p.m. Tuesday.