Munster finds cure to losing streak

Updated: May 28, 2011 12:02AM

It surely can’t be said that the host Mustangs entered Friday’s Class 4A Sectional on the upswing.

Over their last 10 games, before the opening round of the sectional, the Mustangs were winless. Even though his team was struggling, Munster coach Bob Shinkan chose to focus on the good instead.

“It was just a matter of keeping these guys positive,” Shinkan said following a 10-3 rout over Lowell in game one of an unusual postseason triple-header. “And once we got out of the conference, it was just a matter of gearing them towards the sectional.”

However, that quest wasn’t exactly simple. Standing in the Mustangs’ way was the same Northwest Crossroads Conference rival that beat them 11-6 in their last meeting. And the Red Devils were hungry again.

While the Mustangs opened up the first inning with two hits and a run, the Red Devils struck for three hits and scored twice in their half. To extend the lead, to 3-1, Lowell’s Tyler Hamm added an RBI single in the third.

But then Munster (10-16) found a cure. Call it the left side of the field. Between the fourth and fifth innings Munster cranked many of its 10 hits to the left side and broke through with nine runs.

“You’ve got to give a lot of credit for them, they hit the ball. It seemed like they had a beat on that left-field line,” Lowell coach Robert Wong said. “I’ve never seen a team hit a ball more down the left-field line over two innings.”

Leading the charge for Munster was leadoff man Adam Larimer (3-for-4), who doubled in the game-winner in the fourth. Mustangs’ John Cristo started that inning with a momentous home run to right field.

“I was just looking for anything over the plate and was just looking for anything that was there,” Larimer said.

Lowell (6-21) was led by Jordan Juarez (2-for-2, triple, double, RBI) and Jacob Hayden (2-for-3, RBI).

Much like a reflection of the opener, the second game also started out close and finished on a hitting parade. East Chicago won the nightcap 10-2 over West Side.

After both squads scored once in the opening inning, East Chicago broke away with two runs in the third and finished with 11 hits. The Cardinals received strong showings from Anthony Serna (3-for-3, 3 RBI) and Isaiah Pena (2-for-4, triple, double, 3 RBI). West Side’s Todd Porter went 2-for-3 with a double.

“We got like a good spark and it kind of went on and on and was good,” Pena said.

Added EC Coach Jorge Ontiveros: “You swing the bat more, you get a little more confident … and go from there.”

Due to the late nature of the third match, between Highland and Morton, the results weren’t finished in-time for publication.

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