ODESSA- Junior Mijon Cummings continued his hot streak Friday night as the Warriors defeated district rival, the Sickles Gryphons, 5-2.
Now holding a record of 11-2, a district record of 4-1, and now securing first place in districts above Wiregrass Ranch, the Warriors looked for a chance to prepare them for perhaps the most important game in their 2014 season, a home game against them.
“We are hot and we are on a roll. Now is the best time to play Wiregrass. We’re ready,” Cummings said.
And what better way to prepare for their Tuesday game than to have a win against a tough team. The Warriors pitching staff once again showed their superiority as junior Andrew Lindsay pitched 5 1/3 innings giving up one run, eight hits, and one walk. Although Lindsay faced game changing scenarios twice Friday night, both with bases loaded situations, Lindsay managed to get out of them.
“You’ve got to play the game. You’ve got to get the win. I just have to make my pitches and let them put the ball in play,” Lindsay said.
Lindsay was then taken out with a one out, first and second situation with one run already scored for the Gryphons. Junior Ryan Fatzinger then took over hoping to secure the win. And so he did. Fatzinger gave up only one additional run that inning, and from there, it was smooth sailing, giving up zero hits and walks for the rest of the game.
However, pitching wasn’t the only story. Cummings continued to swing the bat well, driving in another two RBI’s.
“I have just been preparing and we have all been listening to coach more,” Cummings said. “We have to be ready for every pitch at the start and we have to start scoring earlier. If we start good, most likely, we will end good”.
But another senior rose to the challenge, driving in two runs, and astonishing everyone around him by stealing home, a play seen only once in a blue moon. Kevin Merrell went two for four and drove in the first two runs of the game, when in the top of the third, drove a ball to the outfield for a double on a bases loaded situation.
“We went out there and played hard. It was our third straight game and we battled and luckily got the win,” Merrell said. “We have to hit the ball where they aren’t.”
The Warriors are getting back into the groove of hitting and scoring and it could not have come at a better time with another district match coming up. Wiregrass Ranch is 9-2 and 3-1 in districts.
“We have to play like we did tonight. We faced Sickles’ best pitcher, and we have to be ready to see the same with Wiregrass,” Cummings said. “If we jell together our pitching and our batting, if we jell as a team, then I believe we can get some revenge next week”.
Evan Abramson/Senior Staff Writer
