Mustangs Walk It Off vs George Jenkins to Improve to 10-2
On March 23th, 2022, the (8-2) George Jenkins Eagles traveled to Trinity, Florida to take on the (9-2) JW Mitchell Mustangs. This game was highly-anticipated as both programs had been playing extremely well up to this point. On top of that, we had a marquee pitching matchup between 2022 LHP Ashton Crowther (University of Miami commit) and 2022 RHP Aidan Kelley (Jacksonville University commit).
To begin play, the Eagles added some traffic onto the basepaths and were able to push one run across thanks to some Mustang defensive miscues. Ashton Crowther found a way to settle down and it was in large part due to his reliance on his curveball. After the first inning, Crowther was able to get into a groove with the help of his fastball which sat between 87-89 mph and topped at 90 mph. However, he ran into some more trouble in the top of the 5th inning. As his pitch count started to rise, his control started to go with it. Of the 6 walks he surrendered on the night, 4 came in the 5th inning. But, he was able to limit the Eagles to just one run and got out of a bases-loaded jam thanks to his plus breaking stuff. Overall, a solid outing for Crowther whose final line was 5 IP, 2 H, 2 R (1 ER), 6 BB, and 9 K.
As for Aidan Kelley, he got off to a fast start and was toying with the Mustang lineup. He struck out the side in the 1st and was keeping the Mustang lineup off of the hit column until the 4th inning. Just like his counterpart, Kelley was relying heavily on his breaking stuff as his signature put-away pitch. His fastball got up to 90 mph. Kelley had his hands full for the first time in the 5th inning as 2024 Chase Nystrom broke the no-hit bid with a leadoff single and came around to score. For the most part, he was able to keep the Mustangs off the basepaths for the majority of the night. Overall, Kelley had it going against a talented Mustang lineup. His final line was 6 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, and 12 K.
With the score even as the game progressed into the home half of the 7th, the Mustangs were looking to walk-off George Jenkins. Into pitch for the Eagles was 2022 LHP Luke Pike (Flagler College commit). He struggled with his control as he let the first two Mustang batters aboard. He started to figure things out as he put away the next two batters. However, with two outs in the inning, the Eagles saw the game fall through their fingertips as they surrendered a wild pitch and Nystrom came home to score the winning run for the Mustangs.
Final Score: Mustangs 3, Eagles 2
The JW Mitchell Mustangs (10-2) will play host to the (9-2) Wharton Wildcats while the George Jenkins Eagles (8-3) will host the Grove City Greyhounds.
Below are the players of the game with a report on their impact during the matchup. Please give us a follow on our social media platforms listed below as we post content with highlights, clips, and announcements on past and upcoming events.
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Players of the Game
2022 LHP Ashton Crowther (JW Mitchell): 5 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 6 BB, 9 K
Crowther continued his strong season and he brought his season totals to 39 K, 16 BB, and a 1.17 ERA in 24 IP. With a long frame and sound mechanics, Crowther has plenty of upside at the next level and beyond. His arsenal consists of a fastball with life that tops out in the lower 90s to go along with a knee-buckling curveball that exhibits great depth. He is confident in his stuff and he will continue to be an important part of the Mustang rotation. Crowther is a University of Miami commit and MLB draft prospect.
2024 OF/RHP Chase Nystrom (JW Mitchell): 1-2, 1 BB, 1 SB, 2 R
Chase Nystrom already possesses a lot of great skills. He is defensively sound as a center fielder. It wasn’t shown off in this game but he can also get it done on the mound. In this game, he was able to give everyone a taste of his speed. He stole a bag and wound up scoring the game-winning run on a wild pitch. With his above average athleticism and quick hands to the ball Nystrom (Uncommitted) is a strong follow as a two-way player going forward.
2022 RHP Aidan Kelley (George Jenkins): 6 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 12 K
While his team couldn’t pick up the win, another strong performance from Kelley elevated his season-long numbers to 33 K, 11 BB, and a 0.44 ERA in 16 IP. Kelley pitches from a solid foundation and does a great job of engaging his lower half. His fastball topped 90 mph. He went back to his breaking stuff time after time and showed great control with it. Kelley was on a roll and kept hitters on their toes all night. His confidence and ability to show poise in a road matchup allowed him to make it deep into this game. Kelley has been a huge part of the Eagles rotation thus far and he will look to be a part of leading this Eagles team the rest of the way. Kelley is a Jacksonville University commit and MLB draft prospect.
2023 IF Aidan Miller (JW Mitchell): 0-2, 1 BB, 2 SB, 2 K
Aidan Miller may not have been a difference maker at the plate in this one but he showed other abilities that continue to bolster his chances at exceeding at the next level. In the 4th inning, Miller was a vital part of rallying his team back. After his leadoff walk, he stole 2nd, stole 3rd, and advanced home on a wild pitch. That kind of aggressiveness and baserunning ability is something we don’t always talk about with Miller. On top of that, his leadership was uncanny in this one. Miller has been blistering at the plate all season long with a .562 BA and 8 RBIs and is sure to continue the rest of the way. The Arkansas commit and MLB draft prospect is vital to this Mustang squad and will always be a must-follow.
