Chisum Mustangs Top Prairiland Patriots 5-1 || Content Sponsored by: Weezy’s

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Zeke Baird and Cason Bult drove in a pair of runs each as the Chisum Mustangs overcame an early deficit to defeat the Prairiland Patriots 5-1 Tuesday night in Pattonville.

Chisum’s win, coupled with Mount Vernon’s walk-off victory over Rains, creates a logjam in positioning for one of the four playoff spots up for grabs. The Mustangs (2-3) are now one of four teams separated by just one game in third and fourth place. Mount Vernon maintains the top spot with an undefeated 7-0 mark. Despite the loss, Prairiland still holds the second position, slipping to 5-2 in district play.

The difference Tuesday night was timely hitting. The teams were almost statistically even offensively. Chisum had 9 hits compared to 8 for the Patriots, and each team had one batter reach base via base on balls.

While the Mustangs were able to push 5 baserunners across the plate, the Patriots several times were one key hit away from breaking open a big inning. Prairiland stranded 10 runners on base during the contest, nine of them in the first four innings.

The Patriots had a chance to take control in the first inning. After Austen Gordon walked and Keeton Kinabrew walked, clean-up hitter Fischer Morrison stroked a line drive into right field, scoring Gordon for the first run of the game.

Wyatt Moore reached base via a Mustangs error to load the bases, but Chisum starter Thomas Thiessen controlled the damage and worked out of the jam, giving up just the one run.

Outs on the base paths ended Patriots rallies in both the second and third inning. Meanwhile, Prairiland right-hander Madox Yaross, backed by stellar defense, was cruising on the mound, allowing just one Mustang to reach base in the first three innings.

Chisum tied the game in the fourth inning after Drake Howard drew a walk. Kason Fortner followed with a single to center field. Thiessen helped his own cause with a ground ball through the left side of the infield that plated Howard to tie the game 1-1.

The Patriots mounted a two-out rally in the bottom of the fourth when Gordon and Pusateri reached base on back-to-back singles. But again, the timely hit never arrived as Thiessen again squashed the Patriots threat.

Chisum took the lead in the top of the fifth inning. Ky Fortner singled to start the rally. Baird, who was robbed of extra bases in his first at bat by Patriots third-baseman Jack Phillips’ nice grab of his line drive down the third base line, this time drove the ball deep to the left-centerfield gap for a double to plate Fortner.

Bult followed with a double to left field that drove in Baird and put the Mustangs up 3-1.

Chisum added two more runs in the 7th inning. Kason Vickers and Ky Fortner opening the inning with back-to-back singles. Baird collected his second hit and second RBI of the night when his sinking fly ball fell just beyond the reach of diving Patriots centerfielder Mason Pusateri.

Bult then lofted a sacrifice fly to Moore in left field that was deep enough to for Ky Fortner to tag and score, making the score 5-1 with 2 outs. Morrison, the Patriots first baseman, made a leaping grab to his right on a hard-hit line drive by Kason Fortner to stop the Mustangs’ rally.

Kinnabrew doubled to left field with two-out in the bottom of the seventh, but as was the theme of the game, the Patriots were unable to bring him home.

Thiessen walked 1 and struck out 5 Patriots to earn the complete game win. Yaross also walked just 1 and struck out 3 Mustangs in 7 innings.

Baird led the Mustangs with 2 hits and 2 RBI. Ky Fortner also had 2 hits, and 2 runs scored. Morrison had 2 hits and 1 RBI for the Patriots.

The two teams will go at it again Friday, weather permitting, at Chisum. First pitch is scheduled for 7:00.

Mt. Vernon 7-0

Prairiland 5-2

Winnsboro 3-2

Rains 2-3

Chisum 2-3

Lone Oak 2-4

Commerce 0-5