Fort Bragg beats Middletown 14-4 in six innings in North Central League I action
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MIDDLETOWN >> Hayden Xavier’s three-run home run bought Middletown a bit more time, but the Fort Bragg Timberwolves ended up beating the Mustangs 14-4 in six innings Tuesday afternoon during North Central League I varsity baseball action at Wes Martin Field.
Middletown (3-2 league, 7-5 overall) was trailing 11-1 and about to be 10-runned in five innings by the Timberwolves (3-2, 8-6) when Xavier connected in the bottom half, making it 11-4. Fort Bragg answered with a three-run sixth to go up 14-4 and the Mustangs failed to score in the bottom of the inning, ending the game.
Xavier’s blast into the football bleachers in right field was his second home run of the season and his second in as many games. It followed a two-out walk to Jon Hawkins.
“Too little too late,” Middletown head coach Marc Humphrey said.
Hawkins was roughed up on the mound in the first three innings and took the loss. He fared better at the plate, going 2-for-4 with two more doubles and a RBI for the Mustangs.
“Hawkins continues to swing the bat well,” Humphrey said.
On the mound, Hawkins allowed 11 hits, nine runs (six earned) while striking out three and walking three. One of those hits was a home run by Chris Hernandez, who went 3-for-5 with three RBIs. Jacob Hendricks also went 3-for-5 with three RBIs while Dane Salo went 3-for-3 with two RBIs. Also for Fort Bragg, Otilio Espinoza went 3-for-5 with a RBI.
Other Middletown hits went to John Finney, Austin Davis, Cody Perez and Madden Sutton.
The Mustangs play in Fort Bragg on Friday at 2 p.m. to complete their head-to-head series this season.
