SANFORD – The Sanford High School baseball team got off to an impressive start to the 2024 season as the Mustangs swept a doubleheader from South Park Friday at the Sanford baseball field.

The Mustangs won the first game 15-4 and they won by an even wider margin in the night cap with a 27-3 victory.

“We have a good bunch of boys here and they all want to play,” said Sanford coach Ty Crowther. “We put the bat on the ball and we’re going to do a lot of things. This Mustang team is going to be fun to mess with all season long.”

Game 1

The Mustangs took the early lead in the opener with a run in the bottom of the first inning. Cash Caldon got a two-out single and he stole second and third. He came home on Lucas Miller’s single.

The Burros tied the score in the top of the second. Jaden Walker led off with a walk, and Caleb Miller followed with a single. An error allowed both runners to move up a base, and after Kyle Bassnet walked to load the bases, Trinity Walker also received a base on balls to drive in the tying run.

South Park took the lead in the top of the third. J.W. Miller singled, stole second and took third on a wild pitch. Jaden Walker drew a walk and Aiden Wilson reached on an error to drive in J.W. Miller.

Caleb Miller singled home Jaden Walker for a 3-1 Burros lead.

The lead didn’t last long as Sanford scored five runs in the bottom of the third. Trason Gartrell led off with a single and he stole second and third. Dylan Mortensen was hit by a pitch, and Gartrell scored as the Mustangs executed the double steal.

An error put Mortensen on third and he came home on Caldon’s single. Caldon also stole second and third, and Alex Sittler walked and Bryce Keck was hit to load the bases.

J.D. Faucette cleared the bases with what appeared to be a single. However, he was called out for not touching second. But the runs counted and the Mustangs led 6-3.

South Park scored another run in the fourth. Blake Bassnet had a leadoff single, and he stole second and advanced to third on a passed ball. He scored on J.W. Miller’s single to cut the lead to 6-4.

The Mustangs put the game away with a nine-run fourth. Gartrell led off with a single and he stole second and third. Mortensen was again hit by a pitch, and both runners scored on Caldon’s double.

Keck was hit by a pitch and Emmit Larsen walked to fill the sacks. Faucette also walked to drive home Caldon, and Keck scored on a wild pitch for a 10-4 advantage.

Kendall Christensen also received a base on balls, and Travis Canty’s infield single plated Larsen. Gartrell was safe on an error, and Caldon emptied the bases with a double for a 15-4 lead.

The game ended after five innings on the 10-run rule.

Miller started on the mound for the Mustangs and he allowed one run and one hit and he struck out four and walked six. Caldon relieved Miller in the third and earned the win by allowing three runs and four hits with six strikeouts and four walks.

Sanford had nine hits and was led by Caldon who went 4-4 with two doubles and six RBIs, and Gartrell who went 2-4 with one RBI.

The Mustangs stole 14 bases and were led by Caldon and Gartrell both with five.

Game 2

South Park jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the first. Kyle Bassnet led off with a walk and stole second and third he scored on a wild pitch.

Caleb Miller was hit by a pitch and J.W. Miller drew a walk. Caleb Miller scored on Trinity Walker’s groundout, and J.W. Miller also came home on a wild pitch.

Once again, the Burros’ lead didn’t last long as Sanford answered with six runs in its half of the first.

Gartrell was safe on an error and he scored on Mortensen’s double. Caldon singled home Mortensen, and after Caldon stole second and third, he scored on Sittler’s single. Sittler scored on a wild pitch to give the Mustangs a 4-3 lead.

Larsen continued the inning with a walk and Faucette followed with a single. An error allowed Larsen to come home and Faucette also scored on the play.

Sanford iced the victory with 21 runs in the bottom of the second. Gartrell had a leadoff double and Mortensen was hit by a pitch. Gartrell scored on the double steal.

Caldon beat out an infield single and a balk brought Mortensen home. Sittler was hit by a pitch, as was Faucette to load the baees. Caldon scored on an another wild pitch, and Christensen also walked to again fill the sacks.

Canty walked to drive home Sittler, and Joshua Fairhurst was safe on an error to score Faucette. Gartrell also reached on an error to drive in Christensen, and Mortensen also reached on an error to plate Canty.

Caldon’s single brought home Fairhurst, and Sittler cleared the bases with a double to increase the lead to 17-3. Sittler scored as Kaulen Miller was safe on an error to continue the inning, and Mason Harvey and Jared McCarroll both walked to again load the bases.

Canty doubled in two runs and Fairhurst singled in another one. Gartrell also doubled home two runs, and Mortensen walked and Caldon singled to again load the bases.

Sittler walked, Kaulen Miller was hit by a pitch, and McCarroll and Canty were both safe on errors to wrap up the scoring.

The game ended after three innings on the 20-run rule.

Gartrell went the distance to pick up the win. He gave up three runs ands one hit and he had six strikeouts, five walks and one hit batter.

Sanford had 12 hits in the second game and once again was led by Caldon who went 4-4 with two RBIs. Sittler went 2-2 with a triple and four RBIs, and Gartrell went 2-4 with two doubles and three RBIs.

Sanford had 10 stole bases and was led. By Caldon with three and Gartrell with two.

For the doubleheader, Caldon went 8-8 with two doubles and eight RBIs with eight stolen bases.

What’s next

Sanford (2-0, 2-0) will host a single game against Center on Tuesday beginning at 4 p.m.

“It should be a good game,” Crowther said. “If we play our game, nobody’s going to compete with us.”

Sanford 15, South Park 4

South Park 012   10 – 4   5   2

Sanford 105   9x – 15  9   3

Newman (L), C. Miller (4) and T. Walker. L. Miller, Caldon (3, W) and Gartrell.

Sanford 27, South Park 3

South Park     300 – 3   1   8

Sanford 6(21)x – 27  12   0

K. Bassnet (L), Shannon (2), Wilson (2) and T. Walker, C. Miller (2). Gartrell (W) and McCarroll.