Mustangs fall in clash of small-school titans, 5-2.

Stuart Hall of San Francisco scored all of its runs in two early innings, and the Knights held on to defeat St. Vincent 5-2 on Thursday in a baseball match-up between two of the premier teams in the small-school division of the North Coast Section.

The visiting Knights punched across two runs in the top of the first inning, and they added three more in the third to take a commanding lead against Mustang starter Liam Galten. A solid run-producing single by shortstop Willie Reader and a two-run double by Angel Padilla proved to be the big hits in the game for Stuart Hall.

Reader went on to register three hits as the Bay Counties West League-leading team never trailed. The Knights improved to 15-6 for the season. They were scheduled to play Lick Wilmerding on Friday in an effort to win their conference title outright. Stuart Hall is rated the sixth top team in Division V.

Third-rated St. Vincent was always within reach of turning the game around as the Mustangs had numerous opportunities against Stuart Hall sidewinder Owen Hackel. The Mustangs loaded the bases in the first inning and got a couple more runners in the second only to be denied.

Overall, St. Vincent stranded 11 runners and had the tying run at the plate when Reader was summoned to get the final out on a fly ball to right field. Hackel went the first five innings with shutout ball to earn the victory.

The Mustangs chopped away at the comfortable 5-0 lead in the bottom of the sixth inning when they scored two runs against Knights relief pitcher Jacob Hubbard.

Bradley Leach opened the sixth with his second hit of the game for St. Vincent. He moved up a base when Trevor Bovaird bounced a ground ball up the middle that was bobbled by the Knight shortstop. With two outs, Jack Romano drove a long double between right and center field to plate both runners. A called third strike to the next batter cut short the Mustang threat.

A hit batter and a walk with two outs brought up Leach representing the tying run as the game got tense in the final inning. Stuart Hall coach Joey Railey took no further chances, and he pulled Hubbard in favor Knights pitching ace Reader.

Leach squared up a fast ball and lofted it into the outfield for the final out and the threat was denied. St. Vincent out-hit the Knights, 7-5.

There were several outstanding defensive plays turned in by both teams.

Reader dove headlong to snare a bid for a base hit by Dominic Pedersen in the bottom of the third inning. The hard-luck Pedersen then came up in the final frame to drill a line drive at the feet of Reader that was short-hopped and converted to an out.

Leach was on the receiving end of a hard ground ball in the opening inning, and he converted it into a double play by touching second and flipping to first.

Versatile Nick Vollert also sparkled at short when he moved over from third in the late innings, and grabbed a ground ball while leaning in the direction of third base. He quickly pivoted and gunned the ball to first for the out.

Romano recorded two solid innings of relief for St. Vincent, retiring the side in two consecutive innings without giving up a hit.

The Mustangs slipped to 16-5 for the season.