On March 4, the Mustangs baseball team kicked off a three-game series against Diablo Valley with a landslide win of 18-2. It was a strong win that followed another series of landslides against American River, where the Mustangs dominated and brought home a three-game sweep with their powerhouse offense
Mustang’s Head Coach Bob Kittle attributes his team’s success to a mentality he shares with his players, “Respect the game and play it like it is the most important game of the year every game and every pitch,” he said.
Although Tuesday’s game brought concerns of possible rain, the sun was out at 2 p.m. at Billy Hebert Field just in time for the Mustangs to garner a 6-point lead in the first three innings.
The momentum the Mustang’s were gaining early on in the game was then amplified by third baseman Samuel Rivas, who hit an explosive homerun out of left field in the bottom of the third. This accomplishment is following another impressive performance he displayed during their final game against ARC where he added a homerun and two hits.
It was Delta Mustangs pitcher Jack Soares, though, that brought the right kind of defensive heat on the mound that the Mustangs needed to secure a win against Diablo. So far, Jack has pulled off a total of 32 strikeouts since the season opener and added another straight four-inning strikeout that rendered the Diablo’s offense incapable of being able to make it on base in the beginning.
A pitcher’s fierce talent on the mound can be attested to several key factors, but Jack Soares pitching can be earned by just a simple few. Warming up for each game, Soares spoke about his unique preparation and the support he prefers to better guarantee a win.
“I get Chick Fil A for every start day. That’s the only thing I do and just making sure my body’s ready. The trainers are a huge help in making sure that I’m 100 percent,” said Soares.
Soares’ success thus far has been a major reason for his team being able to pull off winning twelve out of the nineteen games already played this spring season.
“I feel like this team’s put a lot of work in the fall and the winter and the first couple of weeks of getting better in the weight room, getting faster, and just making our performances better. So, I feel like this team is moving in the right direction,” said Soares. “I plan to keep up the drive by being the best teammate I can be. When I’m not on the field, I find ways to help my team win without actually being on the field. And I definitely expect to sweep the next two games.”
The Delta Mustangs baseball team is set to compete next in a series against Santa Rosa starting on Tuesday, March 11 at Bailey Field beginning at 2 p.m. The series will resume on Thursday and will take place at University of the Pacific’s Klein Family Field and will wrap up on Saturday, March 15 at Santa Rosa’s Bailey Field.
